The New Testament is God’s word and a treasury of wisdom and guidance. It teaches us that love is a choice to treat others with kindness, compassion, and respect. Love means we recognize the inherent worth and dignity of all people, regardless of their background or beliefs, and treat them accordingly. By loving others, we demonstrate God’s very existence to them and our commitment to building strong and meaningful relationships.

True love goes as far as to put others before ourselves. It seeks the best for everyone. Love means caring for others and putting compassion into action, whether it’s through volunteering, donating resources, or simply being kind to those around us. Service is the hallmark of true love, and it is a call that goes far beyond our immediate family and community.

Saint Paul teaches that “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). When we embody these qualities, we become beacons of light and shining examples of what it means to truly follow Christ.

Here are three ways to put love into action:

1. Put others first: Challenge yourself to put the needs and well-being of others before your own. This can mean volunteering your time, and resources, or simply offering a listening ear to someone in need.
2. Practice patience and kindness: Challenge yourself to embody the qualities of love as described by Saint Paul. This can mean being patient with others, even in difficult situations, and making a conscious effort to be kind and understanding.
3. Serve your community: Challenge yourself to serve others beyond your immediate family and friends. This can mean serving at your church or a local shelter, donating resources to a charity, or simply reaching out to someone in need.

† Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father,

We come to you today grateful for the gift of your Word. We are humbled by the wisdom and guidance it offers us on how to live a life of love and compassion.

Help us to understand the true meaning of love, that it is a choice to treat others with kindness, respect, and dignity, recognizing their inherent worth and treating them accordingly. Let us even put the needs and well-being of others before our own and embody the qualities of love as described by Saint Paul – patience, kindness, humility and compassion.

We pray that we may become beacons of light and shining examples of what it means to truly follow Christ, putting your Word into action by serving others close to us and beyond our immediate family and friends.

Thank you for the blessings you pour into our lives, and for the guidance you provide. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

Pierre-Alain Giffard
Director of Pastoral Work

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