Giving Thanks Through Charity and Love

Prayer-Soldier

Giving Thanks Through Charity and Love

Scripture:

In those days Peter rising up in the midst of the brethren, said: (now the number of persons together was about an hundred and twenty) Men, brethren, the scripture must needs be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was the leader of them that apprehended Jesus: Who was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

For it is written in the book of Psalms: Let their habitation become desolate, and let there be none to dwell therein. And his office let another take.

Wherefore of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And praying, they said: You, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show whether of these two you have chosen to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas has by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own place. And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:15-17, 20-26)

My dearest, if God has so loved us; we also ought to love one another. No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his charity is perfected in us. In this we know that we abide in him, and he in us: because he has given us of his spirit. And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known, and have believed the charity, which God has to us. God is charity: and he that abides in charity, abides in God, and God in him.
(1 John 4:11-16)

Holy Father, keep them in your name whom you have given me; that they may be one, as we also are. While I was with them, I kept them in your name. Those whom you gave me have I kept; and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, that the scripture may be fulfilled. And now I come to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy filled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world; as I also am not of the world. I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from evil. They are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. Sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
(John 17:11B-19)

Reflection:

There are those who witness, but as time marches and events take their course, such eyes pass away. As some are displaced by events and time, the mission of God remains. New eyes, new generations are called to step up to take the place of those originally sent forth. So it is as the original witnesses fall away or are called to their reward, another person is called to learn and help fill the shoes which become vacant. As the generations grow in their numbers, more hands are required to help the less fortunate, more mouths are necessary to spread the gospel to the new souls who are brought into the world; all the children of His creation are called to help in the plan of God.

Time marches on. Ever more souls are called. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers who come forth are few. (cf. Luke 10:2) Blessed are those who respond to the call to help with the work to which God calls us, for they are no longer part of what must be gathered, but they expand the number who gather, making the work lighter for all who endeavor as part of the army of God.

As the joy of the Word of God is spread; as hearts receive it, respect it, and live it; as we live His commandments of love; the miseries of the world are set aside to be replaced by great rejoicing. Let us, then, spread the good news. Let us bring together the hearts of faith so we may all rejoice in what was done for us so we may leave the darkness and enter the light.

Let us look to the example of the One who selflessly suffered, died, and rose for us. Let us listen to His Word, for it is He who emphasized to us that the greatest commandments are the commandments of love. (cf. Matthew 22:36-40) Let us accept what He teaches so we may live a more excellent way, the way of selfless love.

We are blessed with a God, who in all His power does not desire our subjugation, but desires our love. He is just in to what He holds us to account, for His desire also is that we love one another. (cf. John 13:34-35) Indeed, we demonstrate our faith in and our love for Him through the love which we share. Let us respond to the love poured out for us by lifting our hearts in thanks and praise as well as doing the work of charity and sharing the blessings of love.

The ways of the world are what we do and what we accept. If we desire to live the blessings of civility, compassion, charity, and love, then, we must do our part to share of these. As we do, we shall share blessings and rejoice within the warmth of His light. If what we do and what we accept are the ways of selfishness, envy, greed, and hate; we leave ourselves to the darkness and all the woe which it brings.

The only begotten Son of God was sent so we may learn, so we may see what is possible through our choices. If we examine history, the miseries of the world are rooted in the absence of love. Jesus taught that our joys may be found in our choices of caring, charity and forgiveness. So it is, we ask our Father in heaven to care for us and forgive us as we forgive others. (cf. Matthew 7:1-2, Luke 11:2-4)

The desire of Jesus is that none of us should be lost to the ways of evil. His prayer to His Father in heaven is that all entrusted to Him shall be gathered in so that none shall be lost. Though this is His desire, the choice remains ours, just as it was for the one of perdition. If it were not our choice, there would be no meaning to it, but given the danger of the wrong choice, the Son of God is not content to leave us alone to stumble in the dark. He shines the light of all goodness so that we may be guided to walk the path to His kingdom and so we may be gathered into His eternal protection.

Let us, then, give thanks and praise, for if we are left to our weaknesses, we will be consumed by them. The Word made flesh, the Light of the world was sent so we may be rescued from ourselves. Let us return the blessings of His love by living it among ourselves, for as we care for and respect one another, we demonstrate our care for and respect of His creation and therefore, the Creator. As we allow His love to guide us, love has the opportunity to spread throughout the world.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways may we take a place among those who do the work of God?

In what ways may we return the love so freely poured out for us by our Savior?

In what ways do we see God working in our lives to draw us away from the ravages of evil?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier