Love that Begets Love

Sixth Sunday of Ester

May 10, 2015

John 15:9-17

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you (Jh 15:12)”

A day before his mega fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, one of the best Filipino boxers, told the world, “There is God, who can raise someone up from nothing into something. Jesus is the name of the Lord. All praise and glory belongs to Him.” Surely, he was telling the truth, a hardcore truth. Yet, unfortunately, he lost the battle. And this reminded us another fundamental truth that Pacman might have missed, that God indeed brings us from nothing to something, but He also brings us down from something to nothing, and still all glory and praise belongs to Him. In the very words of our Lady, “He has shown the strength of His arm, He has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly (Luk 1:51-52).”

There are times in our lives and we may believe that we are something or someone, we are achievers, we are successful, and we are the champions. We won awards, we gained fame, we moved upward.  But, we must not forget that once upon a time, we were also nothing. Before our conception, we were literally nothing, and after our birth, we bring along with us our nothingness. Some of us struggling with poverty and financial difficulties, some enduring family brokenness, and many are facing relationship issues. Looking at all of these, we come to realize that we are nothing. However, some persons come into our lives to love us, make a change and create a difference. These persons are our parents who decided to give birth to us and made a lot of sacrifice that brought us to where we are now. They are our family and relatives who shared their time and fruits of labor so that we may be able to reach this pinnacle. They are our friends who prove to us that true friendship is not impossible. Also other people whose names we do not even memorize, but have contributed little pieces to who we are now.

As we walk with our trophies, our pride and our monuments, let us not forget that we also bring this nothingness with us. The time will come that all our medals, honors and pride will fade away. And in the face of utter nothingness, we shall fall on our knees and even fall to the ground. Yet, it is only when we are kissing the ground in prayer, we are connected once again to our source of humility. Then, we learn what truly matters, that in spite of our nothingness, we remain precious in the eyes of these people that share their lives with us, and that we are indeed God’s beloved.

This is love in its simplest form: to love as Jesus has loved us. We are loved and love shapes us into someone and when our turn come, we are also called to love others so that they may be empowered to love as well. This is the love of Jesus: the love that begets love.

All praise and glory belongs to God!

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP