Be the love of God

“God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” God still loves the world, and today He continues to give Jesus to the world through you and me….Each of us, in our own way, must be the Father’s love and compassion toward the word.—Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta

St. Francis of Assisi is accredited with saying, “Preach the Gospel always. When necessary, use words.” Which is another version of an adage that says, “Actions speak louder than words.”

I often remind myself, “Remember, you may be the only Christ that someone will meet today, or any day. The other week, Friar Savio said in his Sunday homily almost the same thing. He said, “You may be the only Gospel a person will ever read in their life.” He told a story of an army chaplain who came upon a soldier on the battlefield who was gravely wounded. Knowing there was little that could be done to save his life, the chaplain asked the injured man if he would like him to read the gospel to him to console and strengthen him. Instead the soldier asked for water, which the chaplain ran and got, and then he asked for something to warm his chilled body, and the chaplain gave him his own coat. Then the soldier told the chaplain, I have never seen anyone care for a stranger as you have for me. If that is an example of your gospel, then, yes, please read some to me.

Heavenly Father, help us to live the gospel, love the gospel, and be the gospel to everyone we meet this day.