January 31, 2010: 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mother Theodore lived and taught by her words and actions that love was the fundamental quality of the life of a Christian and that, only through love, would one be able to reach heaven.

Strive eagerly for the greater gifts. And I shall show you a still more excellent way.
If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing… (1 Corinthians 12:31 to 13:13.)

We continue reading from St. Paul’s first letter to the people of Corinth. St. Paul makes it clear that nothing surpasses love when it comes to personal gifts or abilities. If we have everything under the sun, but are lacking in love, everything else amounts to nothing! In this section St. Paul describes what love looks like, how love acts or does not act, what love is: Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its on way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. We are all capable of loving but often it is not easy to love.

Action:

Read 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 each day this week. Think about your life and how you could be more loving.