Is it so hard that we should love one another? Is it easier to love family or friend rather than a stranger? Or for some it may be the reverse!
Perhaps the difficulty in loving anyone or everyone for that matter is because the Lord our God does not dwell in our hearts let alone in our very being. For God is love! If He dwells within us then we shall love as He does! For He is ever present with and in us.
He is especially present with us amidst the storms we might face. But lest we call out to Him, He allows us to weather the storm on our own with His grace upon us.
Perhaps for some, they have kept Him absent from our hearts, minds and soul that they do not even call out to Him. Or even fail to recognise the many miracles that had happened in their lives through His grace.
Lord Jesus be ever present in my life, now and always. Amen
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First reading
1 John 4:11-18 ·
As long as we love one another God’s love will be complete in us
My dear people, since God has loved us so much,
we too should love one another.
No one has ever seen God;
but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us.
We can know that we are living in Him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit.
We ourselves saw and we testify
that the Father sent his Son
as saviour of the world.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God lives in him, and he in God.
We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves.
God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him.
Love will come to its perfection in us when we can face the day of Judgement without fear;
because even in this world
we have become as he is.
In love there can be no fear,
but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.
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Gospel
Mark 6:45-52
His disciples saw him walking on the lake
After the five thousand had eaten and were filled, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray. When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. He could see they were worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them, and said, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
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