Love ain’t easy

Love has some difficult elements to it, such as sacrifice and unselfishness. These might be best expressed in a prayer of Knute Rockne, a champion of Notre Dame football, who stated:

“Dear Lord, In the battle that goes on for life, I ask for a field that is fair, a chance that is equal in strife, the courage to do and dare. If I should win let it be by the code, my faith and honor held very high. If I should lose, let me stand by the road and cheer as the winners ride by.”

This week as Catholics, we celebrated twin holy days of All Saints and All Souls, bringing those who have been loved by us to the front of our minds and hearts. Focusing on them, we reflect on what is truly important in this life — love! We dared to pray to the saints and for the souls because we believed in Psalm l8, “I love you, Lord my strength.”

Our love for God is not measured by how we feel about God or by how we get what we ask for from Him, but our love is giving God our trust, our time, obedience and deep faith. Jesus gave us a reliable measure of our love for God when He told us: “if you love me you will keep my commandments.”

In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy, chapter 6, Moses reminds the people of Israel that their history with God was and is a love story. So, keeping God’s commands is, in turn, an expression of the people’s love for God. In the Gospel of Mark, chapter l2, Jesus is asked to identify one core commandment and He names two, but the point is that the two are inseparable. You can’t have one without the other. That is love for God leads to love for Neighbor, and vice versa.

Jesus makes the key point in the Gospel of Matthew with the Beatitudes in chapter 25 and then states, “What you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.”

In the past weeks, we have all suffered with not only the violence at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg, but with other violent acts. How is it that somehow violence, selfness, anger, power and pride have so overcome love?

We know love ain’t easy, but we also know that the sacrifice and unselfishness of love is worth the cost and the effort.

It is also a challenge for us as Christians to ask: Does our faith take priority over our political inclinations? Yet, we must vote, “Yes” we should be involved in our local as well as state and national political life, but our faith must be first Reflect on this as you reflect on the issues and vote on Tuesday.

There are three acts of love this week that we can do for both God and Neighbor, and they may not be easy. First, Daylight Saving Time ends Saturday night, and the warmth and beauty of summer

and fall are over; as you will note when you set your clock back and get up and come home from work in the dark! So, you need by word, example, attitude and act to be a light.

Second, this is National Vocation Awareness Week. We need to pray for good, holy women and men to say “Yes” to church vocations in the religious life and priesthood.

Third, it is Election Day on Tuesday, and your chance to show your love for your country by going out and vote. Every vote counts, and when done in honesty and love, is the best way to show your appreciation for all God has given you and this nation.