Last week’s reflection focused on how sin keeps us from loving God and others, and how to work on a pattern of sin to purge it from our hearts. One reason sin keeps us from loving is that it also blocks us from receiving love. This is especially true of mortal sin, which turns us away from God and cuts us off from God’s grace (CCC 1855, 1861). God pours love into our hearts and we, in turn, pour it out to Him and others: “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). You could imagine sin like a boulder that cuts off a flowing stream. When we ask God to help us remove the boulder (sin) in the sacrament of Reconciliation, He offers us His forgiveness, allowing His grace and love to flow back into our hearts.
This week, our Gospel reading again focuses on loving more perfectly—even our enemies! Jesus tells us, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). St. Paul beautifully described the nature of love: “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8).
As a challenge this week, go through St. Paul’s list and choose an aspect of love to work on each day. You could strive to be more patient, kind, sharing, humble, polite, generous, meek, gentle, congenial, unselfish, forgiving, truthful, perseverant, faithful, hopeful, or enduring. That’s quite a list! Make a sticky note and take it with you to remind you of your virtue for that day. Start always with prayer, confident that you are empowered by the love of God.
Holy Spirit, pour Your love into my heart so that I can pour Your love out to others.