Love Never Fails
The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 13, 2022
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Jeremiah 17:5-8; Psalm 1; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20; Luke 6:17, 20-26
We hear similar statements from Jeremiah and Luke in today’s readings, with Jeremiah starting first with the ‘Woe’ statements and ending with a series of blessings, and Luke beginning with a series of blessings, the Beatitudes, and ending with ‘Woe’ statements. The similarity in each is that one ought not rely upon human endeavors while dismissing the supernatural help we can get from the Lord. Luke gives us a modified version of Matthew’s ‘Sermon on the Mount’ emphasizing that God’s love is universal and counter cultural. One’s reception of these blessings depends upon one’s deepening trust in the Lord.
Since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, it would make sense to only focus on the happiness quotes of the passage, and yet the message is quite serious: Jesus proclaims that God knows our human situation well and is on the side of the poor and those who are vulnerable in society. God’s words are not hollow phrases to give us hope and to make us feel better. God means to transform our suffering and recognizes our valiant struggles and commits to standing by our side. God is also creating an ideal community that will be in right relations with one another, will treat each other justly and with mercy, because God knows life is a struggle and seeks to ease our burdens.
The love that God has for us is the love that we are to give to others, and we see that it is not easy. For this love has to be one in which we really seek the understand the mystery of human experience, which means that we have to try to comprehend the stories of others and to not draw firm conclusions. We have to suspend judgments and choose to live in the mystery of unanswered questions because this love means that we are to welcome and to accept and to hold every person in positive regard. We have to believe what the person tells us and honor it as sacred knowing that it comes from a place of goodwill.
It is always good for us to do a periodic Examen and ask, “How do I want to be known to others? How do I want to be remembered? What will people say of me when I’m not around?” With God’s grace, we can change around the way we respond to others. We do not have to be a product of our history because we can always rewrite a new history. We cannot limit our potential for making the changes we need for our happiness and integrity because God is active in our lives to guide our consciences to the right way forward. It takes conscious effort, but the results will bring us the happiness Jesus promises in the Beatitudes.
Lastly, while all other things in life pass away, love endures. The love that we have for each other, for each of our loved ones will still exist in heaven and on earth. This love goes beyond the grave and will unite us even though time and space separate us. This love heals and endures great suffering, but it will lead us to lasting happiness because it is rooted and grounded in God’s love. It is only right that we celebrate love and hold it in awe because it is that aspect of humanity that really matters. Love protects, it always trusts, is allows us to hope, and it perseveres. This love never fails.
Scripture for Daily Mass
Monday: (James 1) Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Tuesday: (James 1) Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.
Wednesday: (James 1) Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger for anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.
Thursday: (James 2) Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you dishonored the poor.
Friday (James 2) See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Saturday (James 3) Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna.
Gospel:
Monday: (Mark 8) He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.
Tuesday: (Mark 8) The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
Wednesday (Mark 8) He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked, “Do you see anything?” Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.”
Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly.
Thursday (Mark 8) Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
Friday (Mark 8) Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.
Saturday (Mark 9) Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Saints of the Week
February 14: Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop (Ninth Century), were brothers who were born in Thessalonica, Greece. They became missionaries after they ended careers in teaching and government work. They moved to Ukraine and Moravia, a place between the Byzantium and Germanic peoples. Cyril (Constantine) created Slavonic alphabet so the liturgy and scriptures could be available to them. Cyril died during a visit to Rome and Methodius became a bishop and returned to Moravia.
February 15: Claude La Colombiere, S.J., religious (1641-1682), was a Jesuit missionary, ascetical writer, and confessor to Margaret Mary Alocoque at the Visitation Convent at Paray La Monial. As a Jesuit, he vowed to live strictly according to the Jesuit Constitutions to achieve utmost perfection. Together, they began a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
February 17: The Seven Founders of the Servites (Thirteenth Century) were from Florence and they joined the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin, who were also known as Praisers. They devoted their apostolate to prayer and service and withdrew to a deserted mountain to build a church and hermitage. After adopting a rule and gaining recruits, they changed their name to the Servants of Mary.
This Week in Jesuit History
· February 13, 1787. In Milan, Fr. Rudjer Boskovic, an illustrious mathematician, scientist, and astronomer, died. At Paris he was appointed "Directeur de la Marine."
· February 14, 1769. At Cadiz, 241 Jesuits from Chile were put on board a Swedish vessel to be deported to Italy as exiles.
· February 15, 1732. Fr. Chamillard SJ, who had been reported by the Jansenists as having died a Jansenist and working miracles, suddenly appeared alive and well!
· February 16, 1776. At Rome, the Jesuit prisoners in Castel S Angelo were restored to liberty. Fr. Romberg, the German assistant, aged 80, expressed a wish to remain in prison.
· February 17, 1775. The French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Neapolitan Ambassadors in Rome intimate to the newly elected Pope Pius VI the will of their respective sovereigns that the Jesuits imprisoned in Castel S Angelo should not be released.
· February 18, 1595. St Robert Southwell, after two and a half years imprisonment in the tower, was removed to Newgate and there thrust into a dungeon known as "Limbo."
· February 19, 1581. The election of Fr. Claude Acquaviva as fifth general in the Fourth General Congregation. He was only 37 years of age and a Jesuit for only 14 years. He was general under eight popes. He had been a fellow novice with St Stanislaus.
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