2nd Week of Advent 2022 - Monday - What does love look like?

 In the fourth century, Saint Augustine wrote, “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.” 

In the Gospel, Christian love is beautifully illustrated in the companions of the paralyzed man. Aware of their friend’s misery, they use their hands and feet to overcome obstacles to bring their hurting friend to the Lord. The charity of the friends becomes an opportunity for new life for the paralyzed man. 

To grow in Advent charity, our eyes, ears, hands, and feet are to be placed in greater service of God, greater service of those in need. 

Pope Benedict XVI wrote his first encyclical on Love. Love, which is not a sentiment, not an emotion, but an action which seeks the healing and the wholeness of others. 

My favorite line from any papal encyclical in the past 20 years, and probably the only line from a papal document I can quote from memory comes is this: “Love is the light—and in the end, the only light—that can always illuminate a world grown dim.”

Whose dark world will you make brighter today? Whose paralysis will you bring to the Lord? How will you be a true loving friend today, by bringing someone to Jesus in your words and deeds? Who needs the use of your hands, feet, eyes, and ears in order to begin a new life with Christ as Lord?

This Advent day is an opportune moment to thank God for all those who through their efforts, their friendship have brought us to Jesus. And also to consider how we like the friends of the paralytic, to go out of our way, to exert real effort, perhaps even to break social convention, to do something others might consider crazy, in order to help others come to Jesus

May our love increase, and may the light of Christ’s love be evident in us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces and for an increase in charity among all the people of God, that cleansed of every vain and selfish desire we may be instruments of the love of God. 

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.