Scripture readings for this reflection can be found at Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop | USCCB
In the first reading from the 2nd Letter of
John we hear John remind us of the commandment of love. He says, “I ask you,
not as though I were writing a new commandment but one that we had from the
beginning: let us love one another.”
This commandment of love is all throughout the
teachings of Jesus Christ. In one instance, in Luke chapter 10, we hear Jesus
tell us: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) Love of God,
and love of neighbor are the two things that are tied together and what the
Lord is commanding us to do. We are to always love the Lord God with our whole
mind & hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves. So, in today’s
reading from 2nd John, we hear John remind his readers and those
around him that to be a true follower of Jesus Christ we must love everyone we
encounter. This is challenging, but it’s what’s expected of us as followers of
Jesus Christ. Is it easy? No! Is it what we’re called to do? Yes.
In our daily encounters
with people in our lives, they will most certainly test our patience and love
for them. With the nature of who we are as humans, we may find it easy to avoid
or dislike certain people in our lives that get on our nerves. We are to
respond with the love that John is talking about: “Let us love one another!”
This doesn’t mean that we must have constant contact with those we can’t get
along with. Sometimes it’s best to keep our distance from those that are
difficult to love and get along with. But we must also pray for them and their
intentions to the Lord God.
Let us each day we live
try to live out that act of love that John is reminding us that Jesus wants us
to have for everyone. We can do this by
always praying for those in our lives, both those we can love easily, but also
for those that are difficult to love. Include them in your daily prayers,
whether in church or in your private prayers. Pray for all those in your life
that you may love them as the Lord wants you to love them. “Let us love one
another.”
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