One Sunday, at 5:30pm mass, we had readings concerning the LOVE of Christ Jesus and the LOVE of one another as Jesus loved us.  They could have been the same readings for this Sunday for all that I can remember.  Fr. O’Kelly was presiding over the mass.  He asked Matt to play the Beatles song, “All You Need Is Love”.  God bless Fr. O’Kelly…I believe that he truly understood the 11th commandment (to love one another)!

In our readings this Sunday we witness the apostles Paul and Barnabas proclaiming the good news in several cities and finally arriving in Antioch where they began their Gospel pilgrimage.  It was an exciting time!  The Gentiles were entering into the faith as well as the Jews! 

Paul and Barnabas made many new disciples and strengthened the spirits of the disciples saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”  You know that saying, “Truer words were never spoken”?  I think that applies aptly here!  We all have hardships to overcome and they begin with ourselves!  It isn’t easy to deny our inclinations, our desires, our tendencies and our emotions.  It isn’t easy to ignore temptations or to avoid being caught up in the flow of society and the belief, or lack of belief, in society.  But we must keep trying. 

Jesus was able accomplish great things as a human because of LOVE.  Love is not that cuddly, fuzzy, warm feeling…it’s an enormous power!  The power of love can help us to overcome anger, resentment, hate and apathy.  Love enables us to embrace all of humankind as our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Love gives us the desire to help one another.  Love gives us kind words to say.  Love gives us understanding, perception.  Love strengthens our will.  Love fortifies our spirit.  Love causes us to think of others first.  Love of ourselves is critical; it helps us accept our own faults and helps us to rise above them, to conquer them.  Love gives us power.  Love creates in us a likeness to Jesus.  The power of love is so enormous there is no room for hate, or resentment, or apathy.  All you need is LOVE. 

And Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”  Amen.

The Psalm this week is Psalm 145:  I Will Lift Up Your Name

May the Love and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!