“how I wish it were already blazing!”
Jesus has a burning love for us for all eternity. Jesus is love because He is God and God is love. St. Teresa of Avila said, “Love calls for love.” We are called to imitate God’s love in our own lives.
How is love best shown? This is very simple and also at the same time difficult. The simple answer is by our words and merits. The difficult part is actually doing it. “This response is best shown in deeds, in the daily effort to relate to God, to identify our will with his Will.” “No one should go away from us empty-handed. To everyone, in one way or another, with a word, with our example, with our prayer, we should announce that Christ is passing by, that Christ is waiting for us, that Christ wants us to serve him.” [i] The hard part is to have the courage to do it, as long as we need to, and to whatever the extent we need to take it. St. Gerard posted on his door post before he died, “Here the will of God is done; as He wills it; and as long as He wills it.”
In the second reading the letter to the Hebrews speaks of running the race. When running a marathon, a marathoner puts enormous strain on the body. The runner is willing to risk their own health for a goal of finishing. How much more do we strive and run the race to heaven? “We have our sights set on him, like the runner who will not let anything keep him from his goal. We will avoid any and all occasions of sin with decision and vigour,…”[ii] How far are we willing to go? Are we willing to shed our blood? “We have to be ready to go thus far, if necessary, in our struggle to avoid sin, even venial sin. It is better to die than to offend God, if only in a minor matter.”[iii]
Music – “What was I thinking?” by Dierks Bently
We may have heard the saying, “Love makes us do some crazy things.” This usually is in reference to the things men and women do for each other when they are in love. How much more are we in love with God. What “crazy” things are we willing to do for Him?
How many times do we need to show our love? As many times as we can. We constantly ask God to show us compassion and forgiveness with His love, but how often do we give our love to God and our neighbor? “We need to say ‘Yes’ to Love many times a day. We need to respond to Jesus in the thousand ordinary events of daily life: by denying ourselves and serving those others with whom we live and work; by living temperance and sobriety through small mortifications of the senses; by being punctual in the fulfillment of our duties; by being orderly at home and at work; by making the effort required to pray well; by happily accepting the Will of God whenever it does not fit in with our own plans or desires…This is how we say ‘Yes’ to God in the little victories of each day.”[iv]
Is it ever okay to say no to love? No. At every moment we should look to say yes. However, there are times when we will need to say no. Sometimes the most charitable or loving thing to do for someone is to say “no”. For example, we can say no to ourselves if we are about to gossip or speak poorly about someone. Another example is saying no to the comforts of life in order to work hard for God. “There are many times when we have to say ‘No’ to ourselves if we are to honour our ‘Yes’ to Love: by guarding our eyes; by giving up many comforts and convinces; by refusing to leave off work early…The Holy Spirit can give us many indications as to how best to respond to Christ’s infinite love for us.”[v] Discuss other times you may have to say “no” out of love.
How can we refuel our love for God? We fuel our Love in front of the Tabernacle. There we receive the strength to by a sign of contradiction to the world.
Why should we be a sign of contradiction to the world? We are Christians, followers of Christ and thus we imitate Christ. Since Christ was a sign of contradiction, we too, if we follow Him, will be a sign of contradiction.
How are we a sign of contradiction? The word contradiction comes from two Latin words, contra "against" and dicere "to speak" There is no doubt that Jesus speaks against the false teachings of the world. When the Truth Himself speaks, He speaks against the falsehoods in society. This is why in Hebrews the author writes, “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.”[vi] We are called by our Baptism to be prophet, priest, and king in Christ Jesus. As prophet we, as Christ, must speak the Word of God and this Word is truth itself. When we speak (dicere), it will be against (contra) the devil, the world, and the flesh. This is what we take a vow to in our baptism. We speak out against the devil (Do you reject Satan?). We speak out against our own sinfulness, which we call the corruption of the flesh (And all his works?). We speak out against the false teachings of the world (And all his empty promises?) Our speaking out is not always with words, but most of the time, with our life, which is the Life of Christ.
How should people know they are receiving God’s love? This whole lesson is about our words and deeds and putting those words and deeds into practice. If we put love into practice through word and deed then, “No one who has known us should be left indifferent. Our love should be something alive, a burning fire that sets off other fires of love and apostolate…We should not forget that it takes only a tiny spark to ignite a forest fire.”[vii]
VIDEO – How fast a fire can spread
This video shows how just a tiny park can ignite a raging fire within a home. If we can start a tiny spark of love with our every day actions, then we can ignite a fire that cannot be contained. We can help fulfill Jesus’ wish to set the whole world on fire all over again for Him.
“O Jesus, strengthen our souls, open out the way for us, and above all, intoxicate us with your Love. Make us into blazing fires to enkindle the earth with the heavenly fire you brought us.”[viii]
[i] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 3, 66.2
[ii] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 3, pg. 403
[iii] ibid.
[iv] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 3, 66.2
[v] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 3, 66.2
[vi] Hebrews 4:12-13
[vii] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 3, 66.3
[viii] J. Escriva, The Forge, 31