CON THE HEART ELSEWHERE TOWARDS A PATH OF OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHER, TO TRULY BE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

 

The new law of love is not the kind of emotional and sentimental love that today seems to be a bit’ what is sought by the current culture and by slogan of television and TV series on platforms online.

.

.

PDF print format article

 

.

.

Easter time it is time for personal rediscovery and rebirth in faith. A faith that requires love and obedient listening. A bit like in an old film from 2003, The heart elsewhere, in which the young Nello, professor of classical literature, falls in love with Angela, blind from birth. Angela trusts Nello, he knows how to listen to him and if necessary he knows how to obey him. And she does it not because she is blind, but because she loves him. There are so many difficulties that arise in the course of such a difficult and contrasted story, but what maybe, for this, leads to a surprise ending in this film in which love and listening are the heart of the whole story.

.

The Gospel of Blessed John the Evangelist today offers a section of Jesus' long farewell discourse, in which the Lord speaks of these themes. In the first part of this section we read that the center of all the Lord's action is love:

.

«I give you a new commandment: that you love one another. As I loved you, you also must love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples: if you have love for each other "

.

The love of charity that's what Jesus asks: to love God and neighbor above all else. This concretely implies seeking with all one's strength the good of God and neighbor. Therefore, seeking the construction of the civilization of love, first of all, build a personal and community common good. Trying to avoid and avert the injustices that happen in our life, at work, with friends and even with family.

.

From love for God the observance of the ten commandments comes to life, the exercise of the virtues and all the moral teachings of Jesus. Because here the Lord teaches us that Love is listening to a profound word, that of God himself who speaks to our lives to the point of filling them with hope, joy and serenity. So, the new law of love is not the kind of emotional and sentimental love that today seems to be a bit’ what is sought by the current culture and by slogan of television and TV series on platforms online. Jesus asks of us a love that is radically founded in the Trinity, in our faith and our existence. Because salvation sprang from the Trinity, especially in the glorification of Jesus on the cross. The Lord speaks of this glorification at the beginning of the passage:

.

"Now the Son of man has been glorified, and God was glorified in him. If God was glorified in him, God too will glorify him for his part and glorify him immediately ".

.

This glory it begins to materialize in the moment of Judas' betrayal, running away from the last supper, shortly after having received the Eucharist and the Sacred Priestly Order from Christ the Lord. Even in the moment of the greatest betrayal, like that of Judas Iscariot, the Lord teaches us that there is a moment of maximum self-giving to the other. It seems paradoxical, but it is the moment when the extremes meet, all not by chance. Because Jesus decided to love to the end, to the extreme. Therefore also to love Judas who betrays him to the end, without ever repenting. Judas is the one who disobeys the golden rule of love. He doesn't know how to welcome such a strong and totally innovative message and decides to love in his own way. He decides to love the idol, the idea of ​​God he has in mind: the idea of ​​a triumphant God over the Empire.

.

The glory of the Lord it will also be transmitted to us. We will rise again post mortem if we act diametrically opposite to Judas. Learning to obey the Lord.

.

The invitation of the Risen One it still gets so strong today in 2022. The whole community of believers in Christ, all of us, let us return to listening in filial obedience to the words that God inspires in us and that he says through the Church and her pastors. In this way we will be able to build the kingdom of Christ already now, a kingdom not made up of political offices or roles of power, but based exclusively on care and attention towards our neighbor, in which we will see the face of Jesus imploring our love.

.

Lord today we ask you for the gift of your Life-giving Spirit, because we are witnesses and credible believers of your love, so that we arouse the yearning to pray to universal love throughout the world.

Amen.

Rome, 15 May 2022

.

.

.

Staff Blog

Father Gabriele

.

.

Visit the pages of our book shop WHO and support our editions by purchasing and distributing our books.

.

News from the Dominican Province Roman: visit the official website of the Dominicans, WHO

.

.

.

______________________

Dear Readers,
this magazine requires management costs that we have always faced only with your free offers. Those who wish to support our apostolic work can send us their contribution through the convenient and safe way PayPal by clicking below:

Or if you prefer you can use our
Bank account in the name of:
Editions The island of Patmos

n Agency. 59 From Rome
Iban code:
IT74R0503403259000000301118
For international bank transfers:
Codice SWIFT:
BAPPIT21D21

If you make a bank transfer, send an email to the editorial staff, the bank does not provide your email and we will not be able to send you a thank you message:
isoladipatmos@gmail.com

We thank you for the support you wish to offer to our apostolic service.

The Fathers of the Island of Patmos

.

.

.