Love is not always easy and it seems to me it’s far too often the road less traveled. In a world that is becoming more and more accustomed to seeking a ‘high’ or ‘numbing the pain’ love seems to be taking a back seat, it’s being pushed out of sight, mind and heart, lost in the shuffle as people rush off to do this and that and the other thing, to do anything but slow down enough to take a good look at what love is really all about and what it isn’t.

In a world that has set it’s mind on great accomplishments, having things, and having things my way, in a world that is becoming more and more accustomed to talking about peace and justice, and justice meaning getting the outcome or result that I want and only in peace in the manner in which I pursue and perceive it, we’ve lost out on Love.

And it’s sad, heart-wrenching and heart-breaking, this lack of love that we’ve begun leaving out of our work.

In both the Old and New Testament we find the commands to love God and to love our neighbors as our selves. But if people have failed to talk and teach about love – about what it is and what it isn’t – then how can truly love themselves, God or other people. If religion has come down to social responsibility, justice and peace without keeping love in first place well – then is it just work without faith and aren’t we told that those kind of works are basically dead? I’m just asking the question, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be involved in social responsibility, in promoting justice and peace, but how do we teach love in the process and as the motive. Jesus said he was giving peace, not as the world gives it, but as he gave it. How is his peace different than the peace the world gives? Do we know? How can we help other people experience that kind of peace. I imagine it as a peace that is filled with the Holy Spirit.

It seems to me when Love gets back into first place and our works are all done in Love for God, neighbor and self, then we might become much closer to true peace and justice on earth. Love it seems, results in more dialogue and less debate, in more give and less take. I think when our work of dialogue is done in love, the equality that so many people desire will fall into place as well, I think when our hearts are filled with love, we can look around and see that we are all equal in God’s sight. If we have been created in the image of God, then we have been created in the image of love. Imagine that as look in the mirror next time. You were created in the image of love. And that is image God, and you want to reflect in the world. Then when you get out of your house, look around at all the people you see and say, we were all created in the image of love. Perhaps the greatest work of love that we can do for another is to help them see an image of love in themselves and other people.

Let us pray,

Lord, I do want my work to be done in love and I need your help. Please forgive me for all the time I have done work without love in mind. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Please give me a filling of your Holy Spirit so I may reflect your love in and through the work I do. AMEN