LENT DAY 21: DO YOU REALLY LOVE ME?. (Homily for March 4, 2016. Friday of the Third Week of Lent)


Bible Study: Hosea 14, 2 to 10. Mark 12, 28 to 34.


Our first reading this morning is from the book of Hosea. This is a man God instructed to take a harlot for a wife just to prove to the people of Israel that by going after other gods, they are actually prostituting themselves in his presence.

Not once, not twice would Hosea’s wife leave the house and return to her abominable ways, yet Hosea would go and get her again and again. How many people today would see their spouse descend to such a level and still go back to him or her begging them to return home? The only reason why a man would take back a wife who is obviously unfaithful is LOVE; not just any kind of love, but the love St. Paul was talking about when he said, love takes no record of wrongs. 1st Corinthians 13, verse 6.

This is the kind of love that God has for us. That is why he is still there for us even he sees us offending him and prostituting ourselves by committing sin. Nothing is ever hidden from God. He sees how we go after other gods; the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life and yet his love never diminishes.

Imagine loving a person with that intensity? What would you want from the person in return? Nothing other than love. You just want them to love you back rather than stab you in the heart by throwing your love away. And this is all God is asking of us: “That we love him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength.” And a follow up on loving God is treating our fellow human being just exactly as we would desire to be treated.

We don’t usually see Jesus speak well of the Scribes and Pharisees but surprisingly Jesus gave a Scribe a pat on his back because he clearly understood this basic requirement of the commandments.

Dear friends, if only we can actually love God as much he loves us, we would never be unfaithful to him again! It profits us nothing to keep breaking his heart before his very presence. It is an irony that we pay no attention to God, yet like Hosea’s wife we go looking for love in places where we are only used and dumped.  

Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, open my heart to love you just as you love me that I may never break your heart again. Amen.


God bless you. Good morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. 

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