12 September 2024 - Only By Grace Reflections

#OnlyByGraceReflections #CFC #CouplesforChrist

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TOPIC: HOW CAN WE LOVE AS GOD LOVES?

First Reading: First Corinthians 8: 1b-7, 11-13
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 139: 1b-3, 13-14ab, 23-24
Alleluia: First John 4: 12
Gospel: Luke 6: 27-38

Our Lord Jesus spells out in our reading what it truly means to love. His description goes far beyond the world's notion of love, which typically means loving only those who love us in return, or helping only those who will repay us. But when Jesus tells us to love our enemies, he is also showing us how loves, and in so doing he shows us how the Father loves. To love as God loves can seem impossible, but God made us in his image and likeness. And in the words of Psalm 139:13-14, "You have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb ... I am fearfully, wonderfully made."

My dear brothers and sisters, God's wonderful plan for our transformation is in the ways of love. Each of us is unique created by God to love as he loves. Let us open ourselves today to God's unconditional love that we may fully manifest his merciful love to those around us like how Cardinal Va Thuan did to his prison guards.

This is the 1600th installment of our CFC contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings.

[NOTE: Let us listen to our brother Rouquel Ponte, a member of the CFC Board of Elders, as he brings us today's reflection.

All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God's message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on Couples for Christ’s Facebook page. In You Tube, just type ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS]