Do I Look Like Love?

02-12-2023Pastor's LetterFr. John Bonavitacola

Dear Friends,

I am always struck at how the secular culture latched on to the feast of St. Valentine. This simple Roman priest who gave his life for love impacted our culture in a way that all the great Roman emperors and Popes have not.

These have mainly been reduced to history books, but Valentine still lives as an enduring reminder of the power and witness of love. Even though the world has corrupted his witness with overly romantic and perversely sexual notions of love, we can remind the world of real, authentic love.

Love. Love then changes everything. It always comes down to love. “This is my new Commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.” Jesus calls us to a living, authentic way of loving. Love it just so often counterfeit, self-centered and self-seeking. But if we are to love really and truly, we must aspire for the real thing. That requires forming our hearts in the school of love. In order to do this, I propose that during the season of Lent, we each take Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:1-13 and read it each day of Lent. I print it hear so you can put it on your refrigerator door, nightstand or wherever you will be reminded to read and pray it each of the 40 Days of Lent. By the end of Lent, something wonderful will happen to each of us and to all of us. Others will see and notice: “See how these Christians love one another!”

But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; It is not arrogant or rude.

Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; It does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.

So, faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (Revised Standard Catholic Bible)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love, Fr. John B.

PS GO EAGLES!!