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Love is patient. Love is kind.Jesus lived a life of love as he taught us what it means to truly sacrifice our lives to loving one another. When we live a life of love it means that we give ourselves to our families and friends this way. When we choose to live a life of love it changes the way we live and who we are to the world. We are patient. We are kind.When we live a life of love it helps us to remember that life is not just about us, but that God has given us others to help and love and care for. We live a life of joy and happiness because we are focused on other's needs and not just our own needs and our own lives. We are not focused so much on what we have or have not achieved, but on the true gifts of life that are ours to enjoy, such as loving others. Love is wonderful and we all need it, but Jesus showed us that living a life of love means particular things. The following is a story that illustrates the point of how important it is to give love. William White adapted it from the short story Augustus, by Herman Hesse. A young woman gave birth to her first son shortly after her husband died in a tragic accident. Her friends were concerned about how she would raise the child by herself and set about to help her by providing things that would make life a bit easier. A woman who lived across the street gave her a crib that all three of her children had slept in as babies and told her that it was safe and strong and she needn't worry about her baby sleeping well in it. Another neighbor brought baby clothes. Others brought food for her to freeze so she wouldn't have to worry about that for awhile. Still others brought baby toys and books to read. After all the gifts had been opened she thanked her friends and told them that the little boy would be named Victor, after his father, and would be baptized the next Sunday. After the neighbors had left there was a knock at the door. The old man who lived on the corner was standing on her porch. He said that he had come to give a gift to the baby, but that it was not like the other gifts she had been given. "You may have one wish for your son", he told her. "Please believe that I can grant this wish. You must make the wish before the baptism this Sunday and it will be granted for your son, Victor." The woman was confused and not sure what to wish for. She wanted to believe the strange old man, but didn't really know what to do. She thought all week about the wish without making a decision. Finally, as she was walking down the aisle for the baptism she leaned over and whispered to her son, "I wish that all people love you for all of your life." And it was granted. Victor grew to be a child that everyone adored and wanted to hug and touch and love. When his mother tried to scold him other parents would laugh and say, "Don't worry about it, he's just being cute. He is so wonderful." The only person who could reprimand Victor was the strange old man who lived on the corner. Victor would go to his house and have long talks with him. They had a very special relationship. Victor grew up and went away to college. He came home for Christmas that first year in a new car, with fancy new clothes and lots of new toys that a young college man might like. He spent very little time at home during that holiday. Much of his time was spent at parties and with friends who wanted to do things for him. He finished college and moved back to his hometown where he never seemed to have a job but always had the nicest things that money could buy. He said that he collected "wine, women and horses". Victor continued to be loved by everyone, no matter how badly he treated them. But this life didn't bring Victor happiness. In fact, he despised all of the people who treated him so well even when he was cruel to them. One night he had decided to end his sad life. He had mixed some poison in a glass of wine and was about to drink it when there was a knock at the door. It was the strange old man from down the street. "Don't do this," he said. "There is much more to life than you have known. There is great joy in life if only you would search for it. I know that the gift I gave you at your baptism has caused you great pain and sorrow. Today I will give you a different wish." "You can give me nothing!" sobbed Victor. "What do you have that I don't? What can you give to me?" "Think", the man said. "Think about the times in you life when you have been truly happy. Tell me what you would wish for." Victor cried for awhile and finally sobbed to the old man, "Please take away the wish that you gave me when I was a baby and replace it with another. Instead of all people loving me, please grant that I might love all people." It was granted. From that moment Victor's life changed. His friends remembered how badly he had treated them, and no longer came around to give him things. Some trouble that he had caused some time ago caught up with him and he spent several months in jail, with no one to stand by him or get him out of trouble. When he returned home he had to care for his very ill mother, who died after a time. You might think that Victor would now truly be in despair. He had lost all his friends, all his money and fine possessions; even his mother was gone from him. But he was not in despair because he had learned what it meant to give to others. He took a job cleaning floors in a school building and loved it because there were children there that he could love and care for. He became Mr. Victor to them and he was proud of helping them to grow. Victor's life changed because he chose to love rather than be loved. He became the one who did the giving. Victor learned what St. Francis had prayed so long ago. Lord, make me a channel of you peace.When we choose to live a life of love we are changed. We become more the people God intended us to be. We are patient. We are kind.When we choose to love we choose to live in the way that led Jesus to the cross. But when we choose to love, we truly choose life. |