Let Your Love Become Visible: See the Need, Show Compassion, Take Action

The readings this weekend teach us that love is not measured only by what we say, it is revealed by what we do. In the Gospel, Jesus joins two commandments together: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." They are two sides of a coin.

We can pray beautifully, sing enthusiastically, and attend Mass faithfully. But we must ask: Does our worship make us more compassionate? As St. John of the Cross reminds us, "At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love."

In the first reading, God teaches His people to let their past suffering as strangers in Egypt become compassion rather than indifference. Perhaps you remember when someone helped pay your bills, visited you in illness, or welcomed you when you felt like an outsider. Such kindness should inspire our own.

We have elderly people living alone, families struggling, and individuals battling grief or loneliness. God hears the cry of the vulnerable. Therefore, we must be careful not to become the reason someone cries. As St. John Chrysostom said, "If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice."

Think of Martin of Tours who encountered a poor man inadequately clothed at the gates of Amiens. Martin cut his military cloak in two and gave half to the man. That night, he dreamed of Christ wearing the portion he had given away. The story recalls Jesus' teaching: whatever we do for those in need, we do for Him. This is what Mother Teresa meant: "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." Pope Benedict XVI recounts this story in Deus Caritas Est, no. 40, as an enduring example of personal charity.

Loving our neighbor does not mean approving everything someone does. Nor does it mean remaining in an abusive or dangerous situation. Genuine love respects truth, protects human dignity, and sometimes requires appropriate boundaries. If we want to know how much we love God, let us examine how we treat people around us.

Pope Benedict XVI teaches that love of God and love of neighbor are so united that neglecting our neighbor closes us to God Himself (Deus Caritas Est, no. 14). Pope Francis, reflecting on this Gospel in his Angelus address of October 26, 2014, added that the visible sign of our love for God is the love we show our brothers and sisters.

Dear friends, the world needs Christians whose lives make the Gospel believable. We do not need to be perfect before we can love. We need to be willing to let God transform us, one day and one act of kindness at a time. For as Mother Teresa said, "If you want to change the world, go home and love your family."

Three Steps This Week: 1. SEE THE NEED 2. SHOW COMPASSION 3. TAKE ACTION. Let Your Faith Become Visible.