See how Christians love one another, said the Romans.

See how Christians love one another, said the Romans.
What do non believers see when they see us?    It's an important question.   What do they see when they see our lives?   When they see our relations one toward another?   I fear the answer might not be what we want to hear.   Because there has entered into this battle, which it is, we're currently undergoing as a spirit of agitation, a spirit that does not come from God, which divides and does not unite.   Because the true Church is united by charity in fact.   If there's no union of charity, there is no unity and there is no God present, despite all the catechisms we may pile up in our room.   It is not enough.

See what love these Christians have for one another.    But before all things, says St. Peter, have a constant mutual charity among yourselves.   A spirit of forgiveness, a spirit which looks out for the good of the neighbor.   Whether that neighbor is a member of your family, a friend, acquaintance, a co-worker whoever it might be that we have a true love one toward another. That doesn't mean that you have everyone equally.  

St. Thomas asks that question in the Summa:
Does God wish us to have the same charity for everybody?   The answer is no, we don't.    We don't have the same charity for everybody.   In fact because charity is a hierarchical love.   God does not love everybody equally, and I was thinking about in scripture there's not one example of where that happened.   Even on the human level not even one example of where everybody loves anybody equally.   Whether it is the 12 sons of Jacob, whether it is Isaac or Esau they're not loved the same either.    None of them are loved the same. God does not love us the same and we do not love each other the same.    Anything that anyone says otherwise is living in a fantasy world and not scriptural or traditional.

What does it mean that we have to love each other?   We love each other with the desire for the good of the other.   That will be stronger or less strong depending on how close we are to that person.   But to everyone, even our enemies, who we are called to love, we must have this desire for their good.   A desire to see their salvation.   A desire that they find peace of soul.   A desire that they have the good which the faith affords.    That is something which all of us must have toward even the person who hates us the most.   That spirit of charity which will convert souls.   And which the souls see that we're not just after something for ourselves but in fact we desire their good.

So let us take warning from the Epistle of today to put into practice in a stronger degree this love we must have, this divine love we must have for each other.   Not equal, no.    But it must be present always even to the one who is most against us.   To pray for them.   To desire their good.   To work for their good.    If any be in need and we're aware of it and we can do something for them, we should do something for them in fact.

Then by this method God's love is manifested to the world as He has loved us while we were His enemies.    He converted us by His grace and we did not deserve it.   We were the enemies of God until God moved our hearts by divine grace.   Then that movement on His part first, while we were His enemies, converted us to Him.   Even if we were only infants when we were baptized, when we were born we were enemies of God.  Turned away from God by original sin and yet God's grace poured upon us, so to speak, poured into our souls by holy baptism converted us to Him, toward Him so that we then begin His divine life.   But if we begin His divine life it's got to come out from us.    It's got to show forth from us.   Otherwise we have to question whether we have it in the first place.

Have a mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins.

Don't forget that this love of our neighbor for the love of God poured into our heart by the Holy Ghost, comes from God.   Therefore we must turn our hearts first toward Him.    First for the love of His truth, for He is the Truth.   Toward Him who sacrificed Himself on the cross for our sins.   Who opened up for us the gates of heaven.

Let us ask the Holy Virgin for this love of neighbor and for this love of God.   For this yearning of the Holy Ghost.   For this yearning for heaven as she had it every moment of her life.   She who was turned toward God completely and utterly from the first moment of her conception.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.