Growing in love toward God and others

In this process, you need to start giving the vocabulary of the good news, of love, of happiness, of internal joy, to your family, friends, co-workers and all the people that surround you. You must be like the sower in the parable of the sowing and the seed (Matthew 13:1-23). You must keep implanting the Good news, even in the path, where the seed is going to be lost. You must be abundant in your goodness, like your Father who is in heaven. Abundant in grace, in a way that no opportunity is lost.

It is this behaviour that will determine your actual and eternal with God. We already know the exam paper that is going to be presented to us at the end of our lives! “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:34-36).  Like Jesus who gave his life “out of love for the Father” (John 14:30; see 10:17) and “out of love for us” (John 1:11; 11:51-52; etc…), in living God’s dream here on earth we ought to do the same. While not accepting any compromise with injustice or abuse, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we must keep striving to grow in this love.

Never getting tired in being a good example to others

The actualisation of God’s dream is not a self-enclosed or narcissistic spiritual activity but is lived in the Church and for the service of the Church, society and the world. 

This is because “The one whom the Father has sent to do his will (cf. John 5:36-38; 6:38-40; 7:16-18) draws us to himself and makes us part of his life and mission. The Spirit of the Risen Lord empowers us to proclaim the word everywhere by the witness of our lives. This was experienced by the first Christian community, which saw the word spread through preaching and witness (cf. Acts 6:7). Here we can think in particular of the life of the Apostle Paul, a man completely caught up by the Lord (cf. Philippians 3:12) – “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20) – and by his mission: “woe to me if I do not proclaim the Gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)” (Verbum Domini, n. 91). This is a call for everyone, and thus every person according to his or her own gifts (cf. Romans 12:6), opportunity, ability, charism and ministry (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:10) has to make an effort to witness to Christ with confidence and constancy (cf. Acts 4:13, 29, 31; 9:27, 28; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; 26:26; 28:31; 1 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 3:12; 7:4; Philippians 1:20; Ephesians 3:12; 6:19, 20). This could happen through the good example to others (1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2:14; 3:7, 9; Philippians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 4:16–17; 11:1; Hebrews 6:12; 13:7), as well by organised pastoral action. 

What might be some of your impressions on the way you are practising your love towards God and others (family, significant others, community, society)? If you watch the movie of a typical day of yours, do you see yourself leaving a trail of a good example, or a bad one? Do you leave yourself of Christ imprinted in your actions?