The theme for this 4th Sunday of Lent focuses us on loving
where we are. Perhaps that’s a little ambiguous, so let’s look at
it in a different way. It’s easy to love someone from a distance.
There are no strings attached. If we walk away perhaps no
one will even notice.
Christ, however, gave us the example of
loving where we are. In His public life He crossed paths with
saints and sinners, lepers, the blind and the lame.
He went to them where they were. He loved them where they
were.
We often “think” about getting involved and then find
reasons not to: “I don’t have enough time.” “My schedule
conflicts with their meeting times.” “My weekends are my
own,” “Why would I ever want to go on a mission trip and
sleep in a hammock,” and on and on. Loving our neighbor
doesn’t require us to jump in with both feet. It isn’t an all of
nothing request. We can love right where we are—with as little
or as much time as we have.
That is the message for this week. Jesus found time to love
everyone he came in contact with and as his disciples, we’re
called to do the same. “Distance is to love like wind is to fire...
it extinguishes the small and kindles the great!” Let us pray that
we may love “greatly”.