SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2024 - LOVE THE POOR

 SUNDAY APRIL 287, 2024, QUOTES 

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It is when we love the most intensely and most humanly that we can recognize how tepid is our love for others. The keenness and intensity of love brings with it suffering, of course, but joy too, because it is a foretaste of heaven.”

Karen adds: LOVE INTENSELY and HUMANLY.  Our love is tepid - lukewarm. Not worth much.  I view God’s love as complete - and unconditional.  Perfect.  Yes, Humans can’t quite reach that completeness - but we need to try.

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Love and ever more love is the only solution to every problem that comes up. If we love each other enough, we will bear with each other's faults and burdens. If we love enough, we are going to light a fire in the hearts of others. And it is love that will burn out the sins and hatreds that sadden us.

Karen adds: Hey - I’ve got enough problems of my own.  I can’t bear your faults and burdens.  

Karen then answers her own statement: Yes - you can bear each other’s faults and burdens.  It starts with an overwhelming sense that you HAVE to love.  Then listening.  Somebody said, “you have two ears and one mouth - so you should listen twice as much as you talk!!!

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“We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.”

Karen adds I’ve imagined humans with antennas - like ants.  We need to put up our antennas and find the loneliness in others and to love them.  

People don’t wear signs that say “I’m lonely; I’m hurting “.

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“The greatest challenge of the day is how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution that has to start with each one of us.”

Karen adds:  Romans 12:2 - “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Somehow, I was open to that transformation in 2016 that changed my entire life around. (And, no, I am not perfect, I’m not even a good example.  What is the revolution in your heart that must occur?)

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“What we would like to do is change the world--make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended them to do. And, by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, the poor, of the destitute--the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor, in other words--we can, to a certain extent, change the world; we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world. We can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever-widening circle will reach around the world. We repeat, there is nothing we can do but love, and, dear God, please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, to love our enemy as our friend.”

Karen adds: There are those who don’t have clothes or a proper shelter. 

” For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. “

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Some people live from paycheck to paycheck- and when a problem occurs (sickness, car breaks down, your childcare provider can’t watch your children).  How can we help?  

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The quotes were all from Dorothy Day - active in helping the poorest.  Dorothy is being considered for Sainthood by the Catholic Church.

Do we love enough?

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, April 27, 2024