Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
If you’ve been to a wedding recently, our first scripture reading may sound very familiar. For Catholics and non-Catholic Christians, this text is a popular one for brides and grooms. While it does indeed serve as a great reminder for the newly married, we dare not let this scripture become romanticized or reduced to a sentimental reading on marital love. No, this passage functions as a powerful call to ground every Christ follower in the only thing that matters, love. At the close of this passage, St Paul maintains, “faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” St Thomas Aquinas would later describe this trinity of virtues as the Theological Virtues. Like the Corinthians, sometimes we wrongly prioritize our charisms, good works, prayer, or other religious pursuits above the core Theological Virtues, the most important of which is love/charity. Today, as we read the scriptures, let us allow God’s word to read us, to read our lives, as we invite the Holy Spirit to shine the light of revelation into our hearts and minds this day that we might grow in love.
I’ve entitled today’s reflection, Love Quiz because I think Paul’s beautiful passage invites just that! Here’s how it works: Pray the entire first reading, being mindful that you’re proclaiming in the first person – “If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love . . .” When you come to the verse that begins “Love is patient, love is kind . . .,” substitute your name for the word love (and it as it refers to love) each time it occurs. So, using me as an example, your reading would go like this, “Elizabeth is patient, Elizabeth is kind. Elizabeth is not jealous. . . etc.” After believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, continue to read the concluding verses personalizing them as St Paul did. I encourage you to read the entire first reading out loud and read it again in 1-2 different translations as you’ll get different nuances of the descriptors. As you read, let God’s word read you. Notice any parts that cause you to flinch or stumble – let your conscience speak to you to flag those areas. For example, when I read, “Elizabeth does not seek her own interests,” can I make that statement with absolute confidence? Do I genuinely embody that aspect of love? Or do I have a tendency toward putting my own interests and needs above those of others? Any statement that you honestly cannot make with sincere confidence becomes an opportunity for growth as a loving person. Make note of those flagged areas and commit them to prayer. You might jot them on an index card and carry them with you or put them on your bathroom mirror or desk. Pray about each one until you sense the shift occur within you. Once you’re more yielded in those areas, then your attitude will begin to shift, and your actions will follow suit. People will experience you as a more loving person. Be patient with yourself as you seek to grow and be confident that as you pray according to God’s word that God will hear and help you. I pray that each of us today will grow in faith, hope, and love, and especially in love. Amen!
- Elizabeth Wourms