Thursday, January 06, 2005

Visible Love

1 Jn 4,19-5,4

"We, for our part, love God, because he first loved us. If anyone says, "My love is fixed on God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. One who has no love for the brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen."

Love is not just a concept; it is real. Unless it is shared, it does not have any value. Unless, we stretch out our arms and give a helping hand; unless we go out of our way to care for a forgotten, desolate sick friend; unless we visit a grieving mother, and a confused teen ager. Unless we manifest how much we care for others can we be called true LOVERS.

I was called to visit a sick friend at a hospital. He was brought there by another friend who found out that he had been sick for several days without anybody knowing it. An ambulance was called by my friend.

This friend spent time with him; looked for the best doctor to care for him; spent much money for his medicine and other needs. When I arrived at the hospital, Kuya Nick was already resting. The doctor was examining him. There was a look of peace in my sick friend's face and my "good Samaritan" friend's face, too.

We are VISIBLE LOVERS. And therefore VISIBLE CHRISTIANS!

God has loved us first. It is because of this love that we are able to love truly and fully. Visible love urges us to listen with our hearts, see with understanding, touch with gentleness, talk with respect to people. It enables us to forgive. And to pray for our persecutors.

In doing so, we are actually loving our God, too!