Jesus gave us a powerful command ~ to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 2.27).

This command is given to us, not by our mothers or fathers, our priest or bishops, nor our president... but by our loving God. So, we all must listen, reflect and act.

The deep yearning and desire to love and to be loved is central to our humanity. There is an eternal echo inviting us to listen, to pay attention and respond to God's timeless calling to love.

This month, I want to encourage and challenge each of us to be mindful of how to become better lovers of our family, better lovers of our friends, better lovers of creation and above all better lovers of our Lord.

Martin Luther King said, "Love is not the answer, it is the assignment." Our calling is to take personal responsibility to make love the assignment, to make it an "action" verb. Our ultimate goal is to put into motion the fruits of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control." Many of us, in order to ignite this love, must first begin our own inward reflection, repentance and the transforming act of forgiveness of those around us.

Let us make the assignment to support each other at truly becoming vessels of the Holy Spirit allowing God's love to shine through us. Just as the sun gives light for the moon to reflect, let us reflect the Light of Christ. Let us commit to seeking out a loving relationship with our Lord. Let us write poetry to Him. Let us sing songs to Him. Let us spend time getting to know Him and allowing Him to get to know us. Take time to pray.

We must learn to ask God in prayer to reveal Himself to us and not only to show us His love, but to also fill us with His love. Remember true love does not primarily fulfill our own needs but rejoices in the growth and well being of others.

I am grateful to all of you who are constant reminders, examples, and witnesses of putting your love into action. I am grateful for the encouragement, the smiles, the kind thoughts in your cards and e-mails. I am thankful as you unselfishly strive to offer your talents and gifts to our growing church. May God protect us and keep us focused on the prize of love.

Fr. Tom