Love Until It Hurts - Excerpt by Father Luke A. Veronis
How many of us go out of our way to help others? Think about this. Of course, many of us will help others when it’s not too inconvenient. We’ll give a dollar to a homeless person when we pass them by because we won’t even miss that dollar. We’ll put a dollar in the church tray or offer a nominal stewardship donation to the church or some other charity because it makes us feel good, yet we won’t really miss the donation. Yet, I want us to reflect on how many of us go out of our way to help others.
How many strive to give in a sacrificial manner, giving in a way where it’s a challenge, giving our time, our money, and a part of ourselves when it’s quite inconvenient?
Do we give when we really feel it, when we have to sacrifice something in order to give? Mother Teresa used to say, “Love until it hurts. I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there will be no more hurt and only love.”
Think about the time when Jesus and his followers were observing people making donations to the Temple. Who does our Lord praise? The poor woman who offered two copper coins. Her donation was financially insignificant compared to others, and yet Christ noted that her spirit surpassed most others because she gave despite having so little. Her giving was sacrificial. She may have had to deny herself something in order to make that offering.
God looks at the spirit in which we give; He looks at our generosity in relation to all that He has first given us. Who can outgive God? Ultimately, He is the One who has given us all we have. We are only stewards, caretakers of God’s gifts to us. Will we be good and faithful stewards, generously and sacrificially giving from what He has given us? Will we allow ourselves to be inconvenienced in our giving without getting annoyed? Can we give in a sacrificial manner, giving until it hurts while giving with joy? St. Paul highlights that God loves a cheerful giver. Love until it hurts.
Give in a sacrificial manner. Inconvenience yourself with compassion and mercy. Jesus loved until it hurt. Christ offered his life in a sacrificial manner. Our Lord revealed divine compassion and mercy, regardless of how inconvenient it is. [Let us]...imitate and cultivate this spirit in our own lives – to help others even when its inconvenient, to give generously of our lives, to love in a sacrificial manner, even to love until it hurts.
Love Until it Hurts
Love Until it Hurts
Love Until It Hurts - Excerpt by Father Luke A. Veronis
How many of us go out of our way to help others? Think about this. Of course, many of us will help others when it’s not too inconvenient. We’ll give a dollar to a homeless person when we pass them by because we won’t even miss that dollar. We’ll put a dollar in the church tray or offer a nominal stewardship donation to the church or some other charity because it makes us feel good, yet we won’t really miss the donation. Yet, I want us to reflect on how many of us go out of our way to help others.
How many strive to give in a sacrificial manner, giving in a way where it’s a challenge, giving our time, our money, and a part of ourselves when it’s quite inconvenient?
Do we give when we really feel it, when we have to sacrifice something in order to give? Mother Teresa used to say, “Love until it hurts. I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there will be no more hurt and only love.”
Think about the time when Jesus and his followers were observing people making donations to the Temple. Who does our Lord praise? The poor woman who offered two copper coins. Her donation was financially insignificant compared to others, and yet Christ noted that her spirit surpassed most others because she gave despite having so little. Her giving was sacrificial. She may have had to deny herself something in order to make that offering.
God looks at the spirit in which we give; He looks at our generosity in relation to all that He has first given us. Who can outgive God? Ultimately, He is the One who has given us all we have. We are only stewards, caretakers of God’s gifts to us. Will we be good and faithful stewards, generously and sacrificially giving from what He has given us? Will we allow ourselves to be inconvenienced in our giving without getting annoyed? Can we give in a sacrificial manner, giving until it hurts while giving with joy? St. Paul highlights that God loves a cheerful giver. Love until it hurts.
Give in a sacrificial manner. Inconvenience yourself with compassion and mercy. Jesus loved until it hurt. Christ offered his life in a sacrificial manner. Our Lord revealed divine compassion and mercy, regardless of how inconvenient it is. [Let us]...imitate and cultivate this spirit in our own lives – to help others even when its inconvenient, to give generously of our lives, to love in a sacrificial manner, even to love until it hurts.
Love Until it Hurts
Love Until It Hurts - Excerpt by Father Luke A. Veronis
How many of us go out of our way to help others? Think about this. Of course, many of us will help others when it’s not too inconvenient. We’ll give a dollar to a homeless person when we pass them by because we won’t even miss that dollar. We’ll put a dollar in the church tray or offer a nominal stewardship donation to the church or some other charity because it makes us feel good, yet we won’t really miss the donation. Yet, I want us to reflect on how many of us go out of our way to help others.
How many strive to give in a sacrificial manner, giving in a way where it’s a challenge, giving our time, our money, and a part of ourselves when it’s quite inconvenient?
Do we give when we really feel it, when we have to sacrifice something in order to give? Mother Teresa used to say, “Love until it hurts. I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there will be no more hurt and only love.”
Think about the time when Jesus and his followers were observing people making donations to the Temple. Who does our Lord praise? The poor woman who offered two copper coins. Her donation was financially insignificant compared to others, and yet Christ noted that her spirit surpassed most others because she gave despite having so little. Her giving was sacrificial. She may have had to deny herself something in order to make that offering.
God looks at the spirit in which we give; He looks at our generosity in relation to all that He has first given us. Who can outgive God? Ultimately, He is the One who has given us all we have. We are only stewards, caretakers of God’s gifts to us. Will we be good and faithful stewards, generously and sacrificially giving from what He has given us? Will we allow ourselves to be inconvenienced in our giving without getting annoyed? Can we give in a sacrificial manner, giving until it hurts while giving with joy? St. Paul highlights that God loves a cheerful giver. Love until it hurts.
Give in a sacrificial manner. Inconvenience yourself with compassion and mercy. Jesus loved until it hurt. Christ offered his life in a sacrificial manner. Our Lord revealed divine compassion and mercy, regardless of how inconvenient it is. [Let us]...imitate and cultivate this spirit in our own lives – to help others even when its inconvenient, to give generously of our lives, to love in a sacrificial manner, even to love until it hurts.
