October 27, 2002

A love triangle usually begins with unfaithfulness and ends up with alienation. The love triangle we see in this week's Scripture is just the opposite. To be faithful to the God who loves u, we must love someone else – our neighbor. Our love of others links everyone more closely in this triangle of love.

We Christians are caught up in a love triangle. There is no end to the links that bind love of God with love of neighbor and love of self. And, each side has it's challenges. It may be harder to accept God's love for me or God's love for others. It may be more difficult to love others or to love myself. It may be harder to give love or to receive love from a neighbor.

Yet, in order to be faithful to God, we must learn how we love our neighbors as ourselves. God has no other flesh and bones but ours through which to show compassion to those who cry out Lord. Just as Jesus brought the compassion of God to the lowly, so must we. As God raises us up in our times of suffering, we, in turn, must raise up those who are suffering. The trick is to discover each day how to pass on God's compassionate love.

Fidelity to God's love requires that we love those who God loves. This is the only way to return God's love. But how shall we love our neighbor? Should we join the missions? Give away money? Volunteer time? Employ the poor? Lobby for justice? Educate the ignorant? Pray for peace? Each of us must find our own faithful response to God's love and our own wya to complete the divine love triangle.

SO THE QUESTION: WHEN HAS LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR BROUGH YOU CLOSER TO GOD?

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