We Must Get This Love Right (TGH)

Homily - Only If We Get Love Right (TGH)

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death... But if any one has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him. Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.”

~ 1 John 3:14,17-18

Dear friends:

If we see our brother hungry, and do not feed him, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we see our brother thirsty, and do not give him water, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we see our brother naked, and do not cloth him, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we see our brother homeless, and do not give him shelter, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we see our brother sick or in prison, and do not visit him, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we see our brother captive, and do not ransom him, how does the love of God abide in us?

If our brother dies, and do not bury him, how does the love of God abide in us?

Dearest Friends;

If we see our brother ignorant of spiritual things, and do not instruct him, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we see our brother doubtful, and do not counsel him, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we see our brother sinning, and do not admonish him, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we do not bear patiently those who wrong us, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we do not forgive the offenses committed against us, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we see our brother afflicted, and do not comfort him, how does the love of God abide in us?

If we know our brother’s soul is in peril — whether living or dead, and do not pray for him, how does the love of God abide in us?

Dear friends:

What do the Commandments teach us?

The Commandments teach us all that we are to do to please God — all of which is summed up in loving God above all things and our neighbour as ourselves for the love of God.

Dearest Brethren in Christ:

He who abides in love, abides in God! But, the love of which the Apostle speaks is a love that recognizes that our brother is an immortal, destined for the glory of heaven.

If our love is concerned only with his temporal well-being, then it is not the love that comes from God... and it can save our neither our souls or our brother’s!