Allow the love of Jesus to fill you and reshape the way you think and live

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

“If you know you can do better … then do better.”

Today, Jesus speaks about love.

It is clear he is not talking about a feeling, a noun. He is not describing a “thing,” but an action.

He enters into “verb territory.”

We are to love. How you are to love is: “Do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.”

That’s the tip of the biblical iceberg. Read all of Chapter 6 and allow your eyes, ears and hearts to be opened up to a profound and seemingly impossible message.

In fact, it is impossible to master this message at all times and in all circumstances, but it is a road we can follow.

It is a walk we can make, no doubt tripping and stumbling along the way; but it’s also discovering that, as we walk this talk of Jesus, it is a powerful spiritual journey that will give us life and fill us with tremendous spiritual power.

It is Jesus’ moment on the cross. And he talked this talk and he walked this talk!

The backup message is given by St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, in which he share what love is and isn’t. It is such a familiar passage read at so many weddings and even some funerals.

It is so familiar it is possible it won’t even sink in to our minds and hearts. (“We’ve heard that before.”)

But this is a passage worth reading, praying over, and connecting to the Gospel today. It is worth allowing the love of Jesus to fill us and reshape the way we think and live.

Father Perry D. Leiker is pastor of St. Bernard Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142, Ext. 112; email perry.leiker@gmail.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.