By Newton Basumatari csc –
Readings: Col 3: 12-17; Lk 6: 27-32
It is very easy to say ‘I love you’ but challenging to show real love in action. Because genuine love involves compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and above all forgiving hearts. I cannot define love alone unless I have all those virtues and they demand sacrifice in my day to day living.
Today, the readings of the day invite me to conquer the evil by doing good deeds. In the gospel reading, Jesus not only tells his disciples that they should love their enemies, but also showed them by doing it. Jesus could love because his heart was full of compassion towards the sinners. By doing this, he taught us to love everyone from our heart.
Today I ask myself, do I have genuine love for people? Genuine love means not to expect anything in return. It is more of giving than receiving. How can I give more to the people around me? It could be when I help someone in need or when I make someone happy when he/she is sad. Though they may be small gestures, but it is giving than receiving.
St. Peter Claver, the saint of the day also had done similar things; his love was shown in action when he served the slaves, and he became the channel of love for the slaves. St. Peter Claver inspired me a lot to love people without expecting anything in return. Therefore, today I pray that I may have a heart like that of Jesus, which is meek, humble, and compassionate.