Nothing brings us greater joy than putting God first, others second, and ourselves. This is the principle of Christian spirituality: God first in all things. The urgent call is to seek God’s kingdom and its righteousness first, and then other things will be added (Mat.6:33).
There is a miracle of abundance and superabundance when there is love and sharing with others. This is the central focus of this Sunday’s readings, especially the gospel. It is God that multiplies, but not out of nothing. It is what we bring to God in faith and trust that he multiplies into abundance for us all. The love action of sharing our little is the miracle of abundance for many who are lacking.
The unfathomable mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the celebration of God in a community of love and fellowship. It is also a feast of the individuality of distinct Persons in the community of the Divine Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The implication of this mystery is fundamental for all
God is love is the greatest single statement about God in the whole Bible. There is no doubt that love is the essence of the Christian faith and life. For God is love, we are called to live in love as Christians. This life of love is not how we love, but how Jesus loves us. Our love is imperfect and erroneous but God´s love is perfect.
God is love (1 John 4:8). Hence, to love is not only to be religious and spiritual but also to be God-like. Inarguably, love is at the basis of our religious teaching, preaching, doctrines, theology, philosophy, ideology, practices, and even rituals and rites. If these are devoid of love then religion is as useless as any human venture.
The mystery of the Incarnation and celebration of Christmas is a total demonstration of God’s love for us. It is the feast of Immanuel: God with us! The Dwelling Presence of God among men and women forever. That is, God who builds the house among us! It is God who sends the Saviour! It is God who comes to Mary and through Mary gives us the Saviour. All comes from God and all returns to God, but the present is the most important time because it is now that God and humans are in a relationship.
Love is all that there is to life and Christian living. Hence, no matter our intelligence and knowledge of the Holy Scripture, doctrine and theological discourses on God, the Church and Christian life, faith and spirituality. If our lives do not reflect the basic empathy to relate, connect, feel or love, then all is nothing. Love is all there is in the Christian faith, life and spirituality.
The power of the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son is not only the giver of life or the spirit of love. It is an enormous power that propels the Christian life to completion. That is, in our Christ witness to the Risen Christ. It is a manifested power in the modus operandi of the Spirit.
He is the spirit of truth, love, unity, gifts, communication and organization. In the Spirit, all is perfectly harmonised for greater efficiency. The Holy Spirit is the motor, energy or power that brings to life the Christian life and testimony. Without the Holy Spirit, the Christian life is dead.
The celebration of Christ as the Good Shepherd assures of an empathic Lord and Saviour who loves and cares about us. There is no more beautiful and consoling theme or readings for our current condition and situation of life than the theme of Risen Christ as our Good Shepherd. He is not only the Lord and Saviour of our life, hearts, soul, and body.
He is the Good Shepherd who laid his life down for us, but he also leads and guides us to healthy, ever-greener pastures and living running water and protects us from all harm, evil, and danger. Good Shepherd provides guides, leads, protects, cares and blesses our lives, our souls and our daily efforts.
The spirituality of the Christian life is built on the principle of love and not the law as religion indicates. Hence, we are challenged today to obey the spirit and not just the letter of the law. This is why Jesus insists that we go deeper than our external deeds.