Love and Service

                The role of service in life can be seen anywhere we look in life.  When driving down the street one can see men picking up garbage or can see paramedics or firemen or police officers serving the community in various ways.  There are the men and women who work in the field of construction; these individuals serve the community in a rather underappreciated way. These dedicated people in their various fields offer to the people different services to help people in their everyday lives.

                These Civil Servants help us to function in our everyday lives as residents of our particular cities or states.  There are other servants in our world who help us, or rather, guide us. These people are priests and religious. They are present in our lives to offer prayers and support, guidance and love.  The role of the religious or priest is to be a mediator between the people of God and God. There are times when a person may not be able to or are not willing to communicate with God themselves; this is where the priest or religious comes in.

                The priest or religious is in many ways are like our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles. They love us unconditionally because they are called to serve God’s people. They are not sent to God’s people as judges or police officers. They are sent to be instruments of God’s love. A merciful love that knows how much a person seeks love. Love is a healing tool. But love is not all that they offer.

                The way in which a person loves is not always physical. They love, or show love through actions, prayer and more often than not through ministerial presence. The priest and/or religious shows their love through many different avenues of delivery. The bottom line is that the priest and/or religuos is here on Earth to show and present God’s love to His people. Through this love the ministers of God are able to guide people toward a holy life. They show the people of God how living their life for God and for their brothers and sisters leads their souls to heaven.

                It is in this way, the Holy Way that people learn to love, in an unselfish, self-emptying way. This way of love leads people to love God. It is through this love of God that will lead people to heaven. The priest and religious is called by God to serve and most importantly to love. Love is one of the most forgotten or dejected forms of interaction. The world needs more love.

                How are WE going to love today?