Jesus
commanded us to love one another as he has loved us. Yet, he loved us enough to suffer a horrific
death for our salvation. How can we
possibility love like that; especially with people we don’t even like?
Fr. John Riccardo, pastor of Our Lady of Good
Counsel in Plymouth, Michigan, whose Ave Maria radio program
Christ is the Answer focuses on Catholic teachings, addressed this quandary in his May 10 homily.
Counsel in Plymouth, Michigan, whose Ave Maria radio program
Christ is the Answer focuses on Catholic teachings, addressed this quandary in his May 10 homily.
Reflecting
on his recent trip to Italy, Fr. John shared that during a holy hour just prior
to leaving for the one-hour plane trip from Rome to Turin, he was positively
giddy in anticipation of seeing the Shroud of Turin
on his recent trip to Italy, Fr. John shared that during a holy hour just prior
to leaving for the one-hour plane trip from Rome to Turin, he was positively
giddy in anticipation of seeing the Shroud of Turin
The Shroud hasonly been on display 5 times in the last 100 years. It is believed by many
experts to be the burial cloth of Jesus. Although carbon testing had once determined it
was a fraud, further studies have called those results into question. The cloth
depicts a man who has gone through everything Jesus went through—scourging,
beatings, crowning with thorns, and nails through wrist and feet. No one has been able to explain how the
3-dimensional image was imprinted as if from a burst of radiation, and no one
has been able to replicate it.
While
praying the psalms and reflecting on the our Lord’s face, Fr. John prayed, “I’m
never going to be this close to your face again!”
praying the psalms and reflecting on the our Lord’s face, Fr. John prayed, “I’m
never going to be this close to your face again!”
He then heard
God rebuke him: “You see my face every day, all day long. Don’t you recognize me?”
God rebuke him: “You see my face every day, all day long. Don’t you recognize me?”
Fr. John
recalled a daily reminder he has set on his phone. It asks the question from Jesus: “Do you see
what I see, as I see it, or are you just going through the motions?”
recalled a daily reminder he has set on his phone. It asks the question from Jesus: “Do you see
what I see, as I see it, or are you just going through the motions?”
The Gospel
reading for that Sunday had spelled it out clearly. “He who does not love, does not know God, for
God is love.” Fr. John
explained. “In this is love, not that we
loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation—or
actually more literally, the instrument for our sins. Jesus in the Gospel just said to us, ‘This is
my commandment, that you love one another, as I love you. NO one has greater love than to lay down ones
life for one’s friends.”
reading for that Sunday had spelled it out clearly. “He who does not love, does not know God, for
God is love.” Fr. John
explained. “In this is love, not that we
loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation—or
actually more literally, the instrument for our sins. Jesus in the Gospel just said to us, ‘This is
my commandment, that you love one another, as I love you. NO one has greater love than to lay down ones
life for one’s friends.”
The title of
the exhibition of the Shroud is, “The Greatest Love.” Father John explained
that when standing in front of the Shroud, “…you see the face quite literally
of the image of love; a man who has laid down his life in horrific fashion for
you and for me.” He pointed out that
love moves and acts or else it is just an illusion.
the exhibition of the Shroud is, “The Greatest Love.” Father John explained
that when standing in front of the Shroud, “…you see the face quite literally
of the image of love; a man who has laid down his life in horrific fashion for
you and for me.” He pointed out that
love moves and acts or else it is just an illusion.
The
challenge, according to Fr. John, is to show love even for those we don’t like.
Otherwise, we fail to follow God’s command to love one another as he has loved
us.
Fr. John
said that Jesus wants to give us a new heart in order to love the way he does
and he does this through Holy Communion. “Our heart must be crushed and
replaced with his heart,” he said. “It is through receiving the precious blood
of Jesus, it’s as if God wants to give us a transfusion. He is putting his
blood into our heart so it will look like his, because that is what he expects
of us.” He added that until that
happens, we will never have real joy because real joy come from being overwhelmed
by the love that God has for us, then in turn overwhelming others with the love
that we have received.
said that Jesus wants to give us a new heart in order to love the way he does
and he does this through Holy Communion. “Our heart must be crushed and
replaced with his heart,” he said. “It is through receiving the precious blood
of Jesus, it’s as if God wants to give us a transfusion. He is putting his
blood into our heart so it will look like his, because that is what he expects
of us.” He added that until that
happens, we will never have real joy because real joy come from being overwhelmed
by the love that God has for us, then in turn overwhelming others with the love
that we have received.
Suggestions for those
struggling to love certain people.
struggling to love certain people.
1) Going
forward for Communion, keep your eyes on the crucifix. “The heart that moved
him to do that is at our disposal,” Fr. John said. “It is being given to us so
that we in turn will show it to others especially those we find difficult to
love.”
forward for Communion, keep your eyes on the crucifix. “The heart that moved
him to do that is at our disposal,” Fr. John said. “It is being given to us so
that we in turn will show it to others especially those we find difficult to
love.”
2) Place
those whom we struggle to love on the altar and offer the Mass for them. Fr. John explained that there is no prayer greater
than the Mass because it is the representation–sacramentally speaking– of the
gift of self, which Jesus made upon the cross.
“If we will join our prayers to his, especially for those we find hard
to love, then we look a lot like Jesus,” he said.
those whom we struggle to love on the altar and offer the Mass for them. Fr. John explained that there is no prayer greater
than the Mass because it is the representation–sacramentally speaking– of the
gift of self, which Jesus made upon the cross.
“If we will join our prayers to his, especially for those we find hard
to love, then we look a lot like Jesus,” he said.
At the end
of our lives Fr. John stated that all the saints have said, you and I will be
judged on one thing: did you love? He said
we will be asked: “Did you let me transform you heart and make it more like
mine so that you would bring my love into the world which is longing for it?”
of our lives Fr. John stated that all the saints have said, you and I will be
judged on one thing: did you love? He said
we will be asked: “Did you let me transform you heart and make it more like
mine so that you would bring my love into the world which is longing for it?”
_______________________________________________________________
Several years ago, I got to know Fr. John Riccardo when he shared
his call to the priesthood story in the AG book. With his
permission, I will occasional access the podcasts of his Sunday homilies to share as articles.
his call to the priesthood story in the AG book. With his
permission, I will occasional access the podcasts of his Sunday homilies to share as articles.
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