Quinquagesima Sunday 19.2.12 How much love is enough?
St Paul tells us (epistle) that even if we do something that appears heroic and generous, such as giving up one’s life – but have not love, it counts for nothing at all.
It is the motivation behind our actions that counts, apparently.
The deed itself might be good and have a good effect. I could give some money to a poor man and he might be much happier for that. But if I did the deed only so it would help my chances of being re-elected then it would count for nothing towards my salvation.
The motive we most need is that of seeking to please God.
What does He want me to do here - is the question.
Some things we want to do; some things we have to do.
Charity in its fullest form will enable us to see the will of God as both: we have to do it and we want to do it.
He wants me to give up my life in atonement for sins. That’s fine with me. That’s the very thing I would have chosen myself!
This is the pinnacle of charity, towards which we are climbing.
The last judgment scene portrayed in Matthew 25 highlights the importance of doing charitable deeds. If you did this to one of the least of these... It must be understood that in feeding the hungry we did so not just for show but with the higher view of pleasing God.
We probably do several good things each day without even giving it a thought.
We might wonder if we have the right motive or not for these deeds. It just needs an extra thought on our part to direct all our actions for the glory of God.
We do this in such prayers as the Morning Offering, and in consecrations we make. Everything for God, through Mary.
We do not have to be thinking of God in every action, but at least have the general intention to please Him, and never to displease Him.
If we seek to please God His grace will act on us to do even more in His service; also making the difficult tasks more attractive.
We tend to find a lot of things distasteful, yet we know they are the right sort of things to be doing. We can steel ourselves to do these things, overcoming our own repugnance.
But then, better still, we can come actually to want to do them. This change in us comes about by the grace of God acting in us, such that we start to think as He does; to see things as He sees them.
Loving neighbour flows from loving God. We love our neighbour because we will treat the neighbour as God would have us do. Everything is kind, good, gentle etc as outlined by St Paul, and none of it is for show. It actually is genuine.
When we come to be judged the crucial point at issue is whether or not we love God. If we have any love for Him, even imperfect, we will be saved. If we have no love for Him at all; if our soul is dead in its hardness and coldness, we will be lost.
How do we know if we love Him? By how willing we are to please Him, for His own sake. Not just trying to gain something ourselves but simply because He wants it. It will make us happier too, but that is not the main motive. May all our good deeds converge on this.
This is the pinnacle to which we climb, sometimes sliding backwards. All is possible with His help.
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