THE THINGS I DO FOR LOVE

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October 29, 2017
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First reading (Exodus 22:20-26)
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 18:2-4, 47, 51)
Second reading (1 Thessalonians 1:5C-10)
Gospel (Matthew 22:34-40)

There was this cartoon from my childhood which had a dog for a hero. This dog, Courage is his name, lived with an elderly couple who took him in their home and adopted him. He would fend off and drive away evil entities that threatened his home. Muriel, the elderly woman, was a loving mother to Courage. Eustace, the elderly man, yelled at and kept away from Courage. Yet, the dog cared for both of them out of love, regardless of the difference in how they treated him. All he could say in the end is that these are "the things I do for love."

In our time, we ask for attention, for affection, for love, but we find it difficult to give any. We even find it difficult to appreciate the little lovely things people do for us. Love becomes a concept. A feeling.

In our first reading (from the book of Exodus) we hear of God's call to compassion towards the weak and the poor.  We ought to do good to others. However, many of us do good things now either because it is good for our image, because good will return to us, or because it is what the law tells us to do. Doing good is good, but our reason for doing so must run deeper. Is it for personal gain or for compliance with our law?

In our second reading (from the letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians), Paul greets the faithful of Thessalonica for being good examples of the Christian faith. Because they followed in the footsteps of Paul, who followed in the life of Christ, their Christian Faith resounded far and wide. They preached their Faith by how they lived. Our good works must be rooted in something deeper than personal gain or compliance, and St. Paul points to that "something deeper" which is Faith. But what is this Faith?

In our gospel reading (according to St. Matthew), we hear Jesus reveal that "something deeper" in the two commandments that sums up all that God has asked of Israel throughout history: to love God and to love our neighbor. The action word in both commandments is clear -LOVE. This is the summary of the Faith possessed by the people of God. This is what gives our good works and our lives deeper meaning.

When we go to mass on Sunday because we love God and we want to develop our relationship with Him, instead of just attending mass because we are obliged to do so on Sundays, our attendance runs deep because our going to mass has personal meaning. When we listen to the joys and pains of our brothers and sisters in our jobs, or assist our classmates in their homework because we care for them, instead of doing so in order to be "pakitang tao" or to look good, our good deeds become personal. They run deep because we do them out of love. For love.

When we do good things out of love and for love, our good works are no longer "good works" but "love". Instead of "we do good to others", our works are transformed into "we love others". Love is not just a concept. Love is not just a feeling. Love is our Faith. Love is God. I hope, as Christians holding our faith firmly in our hearts, we may also say that what we do are "the things I do for love."

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