Give love a chance (Friday, Lent 3)

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In Child Psychology and Human Development, it has been experimented and found to be true that “in correcting people, softness in speech can produce better results than harsh outpouring of words”. It is a common experience that we cannot deny. A father who flogs his disobedient child with one hand and cuddles him more with another will end up bringing out the best in that child.


Prophet Hosea addressed the people of Israel, soothing their wounds of sin and infidelity with the ointment of God’s love (cf. Hos. 14:1-9). Most of the harsh messages of the earlier prophets (like Jeremiah, and the rest) might have made us think that God is harsh and intolerant towards us. But Hosea clearly makes us understand that every action of God towards a sinner always gears towards bringing the sinner back to His fatherly love.


Words of love that are spoken softly heal more quickly than the ones that are harshly voiced out. God comes to us with words of love, pleading for our return to His love. He is a Father, not a tyrant! Though he afflicts us, He nonetheless shows us mercy and love (cf. Lam 3:32). Through the Psalmist, He speaks to us saying: “I am the Lord your God: listen to my words” (Ps 81:11a.9b).


What are His words? His words are that we should return to Him and that we should give love a chance. There is nothing that melts the heart of God better than love. Little wonder then why Jesus summarized the commandments in few words: LOVE GOD AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR (CF. Mark 12:28-34). Without genuine love for God, there will be no real love for our neighbour.


We may have reasons to seek ways to retaliate the wrongs that people have done to us. We may have reasons to withdraw our help from those who have treated us badly. We may have reasons to continue to nurse ill-feelings for our perceived “enemies”. Let us not forget that hatred and violence destroy more than they intend to correct. The Christian way is not the way of violence. A Christian has no reason to hate. Why? Because a Christian is always LOVED and FORGIVEN by God; and thus in conscience, he/she is duty-bound to extend the same love and forgiveness to others no matter the wrongs that they might have done to him. The more we adopt this mentality and sincerely live by it, the more PEACEFUL, LOVING and HABITABLE our world will be. 


Prayer:

Lord Jesus, may I never forget how much you love me, Amen!


Have a fruitful Lenten journey!



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