Our Love Needs Rekindling – Our Love Lives Needs Reformation

Homily – Sunday, the 29^th October 2023

When we hear of the word Reformation we always tend to point fingers at others and say- they need reformation and change. We opt ourselves out of the body of the church and often say “they need change” rather than we need a change. On this Reformation Sunday I would bring to our attention one simple thought- Our Love Needs Rekindling Our Love Lives Needs Reformation

In the gospel lesson today we heard

One of the Pharisees, a lawyer, asked Jesus a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

In a context of violence and hatred all along sometimes it is worth reflecting on the basic foundation of Christian life. Love. Love your God and Love your neighbour.

We remember Reformation today. It was on the last week of October 1517 that Martin Luther boldly put forth the 98 theses calling for Reformation in the Church- in the life of the Christian. It was calling for repentance specially in the context of the sale of indulgences and trying to buy remission of sins and commercialising faith. He had then made it clear that anyone who does not help someone in need cannot expect the grace of God radiating through them. He was affirming 1 John 4:20- Anyone who says they love God- whom they do not see- and does not love their neighbour- brother or sister whom they can see- is a liar.

Luther made it clear- God does not want your good works but your neighbour does. He went on to say- it is the duty of every Christian to be the Christ to his neighbour. To serve God is nothing else but to serve your neighbour and to do good to them in love, be it to a child, wife, spouse, servant, enemy or friend. If you have tasted Christ’s benevolence and work for you, then you will find yourself engaged among the needy.

Every ordinary work we are called to do has the potential to be of help to the neighbour. DO it as if you are doing it unto God.

By love a Christian transcends himself and reaches out to serve his neighbour thus reflecting the Christ who dwells within him.

When we remember Luther and the Reformation we ought to ask a simple question- What is happening to our love for God and to the neighbour.

When we talk about love we must also recall what the angel told the church in Ephesus after affirming the good in them. In Rev 2:2-4 we read this. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 

What does it mean when we say- losing our first love?

Is it possible that we lose our love for God and to each other?

If we lose our love- why does that happen. Why do become lukewarm in our love to God and to each other?

We read this text today in the context of war and violence. In this context I am reminded of a traditional story.

If you put hundred black ants and hundred red ants in a jar, nothing would happen. But if you shake the jar hard the ants will start attacking each other. The red ants will consider the black ants as their enemies and the black ants will consider the red ants as their enemies. The real enemy is the one who shakes the jar. This same thing happens to human society. Before we attack each other we should actually be thinking who is shaking the jar. Despite all the lessons from history we seemed to have learned no lesson from the pain of the aftermath of war. We continue to dance to the tune of those who shake the jar and even be part of the shaking of the jar.

What does it mean to love God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul and ALL your mind. The heart was then considered to be the centre of all physical and spiritual life and the seat of our thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections and endeavours. Is it possible to give all our heart to God. When Paul talks about no longer I but Christ that lives in me he is showing us the ultimate reality of this process. God taking predominance and prominence in our lives.

The soul was considered to be the breath of life. That in which there was LIFE. Something that was not dissolved with death but had an existence beyond. And how do we love God with ALL our soul?

The mind is our faculty of understanding. It was the seat of emotions and inner well-being. The faculty that helps form an maintain healthy relationships and adapt to change and even stress and adversity. What does it mean to love our God with all our mind.

How is the love for God manifest in our lives. It is gauged by the joy we experience in our times of prayer, meditation, scripture reading, worship and is made manifest in our commitment to reach out to our neighbours in need.

What does loving your neighbour mean? The Greek word Plesion is a derivative of the word plesan which only means one who is near. The other person when two or more is mentioned. For the question Who is my neighbour Jesus answers in Luke with the parable of the Good Samaritan. He marked out the followers markers of a good neighbour

• Being able to see a person in need
• Being able to hear the silent groaning on the wayside
• Being able to Stop by and Go Near
• Being able to Nurse the wounds sharing the resources
• Being able to spare time
• Being able to take the person where healing is possible
• Being able to own the expenses and promises to come back

In a discussion among some of our parishioners last night we discussed about what these words mean in our own cultures

One said- loving God was not an option but a mandate. We did not have the option not to go to church. The whole family had to go together and that was it. All the children went to Sunday School and all young people were part of the youth fellowship. In some of our homes we did not have breakfast without being part of the morning prayer and dinner without being part of evening prayer.

Gary Chapmans book Love Languages is often used as a bench mark to assess our love life.

• Words of appreciation
• Quality Time
• Acts of Service- Doing things without being asked to do so
• Physical Intimacy and touch
• Gifts

Each of us might have our own love languages that we could add to this list

• Emotional Support
• Surprises
• Forgiveness
• Respect
• Apologies

And the question is “ Have we lost our first love?

How do we express our love to the neighbour

• A warm smile and friendly greetings
• Offer a listening ear and small help whenever possible
• Sharing homemade treats and small gifts
• Respecting Boundaries
• A hand when needed and a shoulder to lean on in crisis points
• Children play dates, neighbourhood events or offering a ride

It was Florence Nightingale who said- if everyone loved their neighbours this world would be a great place to live in where hatred will have no room.

We had an example of a person sharing how she grew up with three biological siblings and ten other children whom the parents had brought in from difficult contexts of the neighbourhood. A close friend of theirs who had four children suddenly died and when the family visited the father offered to look after one of the children which the mother happily agreed to and trusted that the child would be in a safe home. That child became a sibling to me and that is what it means to be a neighbour.

Another person said- I saw a person from my background sad outside the super market. He told me his block account was not functional and therefore he could not do any transactions. He just asked him to come in to the store with him and asked him to buy all that he wanted and happily paid. As we came out I told him- Just give me a ring if you need any help and gave him my number. That is being a neighbour.

Another pertinent question is How do we enhance the ambience of love in our homes

• Open Communication
• Expressions of Affection and Appreciation
• Quality Time Together
• Prayer Time Together
• Peaceful Environment maintained and private spaces acknowledged
• Celebrate achievements and affirm solidarity in failures
• Appreciate milestones and practice forgiveness
• Family Meals and Family Time

In several cultures across the world Loving God is gradually becoming out of trend and the very idea of neigbour is being redefined. The one staying next door is but a stranger to many. The other in need is not our concern anymore. It is herein this text becomes very relevant.

Arundathi Roy said- It is in the presence of the other, that one finds one’s real worth.

And when we find the real worth of the other there would be no room left for hatred in this world.

The simple message for us this morning is

Our Love Needs Rekindling

Our Love Lives needs Reformation

Vinod Victor

29th October 2023