The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 11, 2006
Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Psalm 119:1-2, 4-8
Matthew 5:43-48

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"But I say to you, love your enemies. . ."

These dangerous words inaugurated a new era--the era of Christian love -- unconditional love! This love would first and best be demonstrated by a man with arms outstretched between Earth and sky, dying in the heat of the sun and saying, "Father, forgive them." This love is contagious, but unfortunately not contagious enough. You have to expose yourself to this love, sometimes for a long time before it catches. Human history has had far too little of this love--but it is the gift of the Holy Spirit and there are shining lights of it.

St. Therese of Lisieux noted that her vocation was to become "love at the heart of the Church." We need to follow her lead and become love, unconditional love, love without rancor or thirst for revenge, love without limits at the heart of the Church. This isn't something we can do to ourselves. We must put ourselves in the way of God's all transforming love. When we do so, and only when we do so, can we become what He would have us be.

The most beautiful commandment ever spoken, "Love one another as I have loved you." Without limits, without conditions, without regret--fully, completely, totally giving of self to another -- true Children of God.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

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