Love One Another

For Monday, Oct 29

Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude

Jesus said to his
 disciples, “I am
giving you these

 commands so
that you may

 love one another.

“If the world hates
 you, be aware that
it hated me before
it hated you. If you

 belonged to the
world, the world
would love you 

as its own. Because
you do not belong
 to the world,  but
 I have chosen you out

 of the world-- therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you,

 ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you;
  if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on
  account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and
spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin
. Whoever hates me  hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works
that no one else did, they would  not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both
me and my Father. It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me
without a cause.’ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father,
 the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will  testify on my behalf. You also
 are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.”

 John 15:17-27

Love One Another

We cannot patrol these hallowed halls

while we worship without trembling

we cannot hide behind our weapons

expecting the world to become safe.

Love must be our instrument and tool

the only weapon in our arsenal

we must be long on forgiveness

and banish all the hate within us.

We are children of the same parents

standing in the same cold rain

wondering how we could become this

how loathing has found purchase.

There is no money that can fix

a precious life when it's taken away

no policy or political parties

that can return joy when abolished.

The Author of love expects in return

that we will attend to loving neighbors

we will live as shelter and safe harbor

we will beacons of light for the lost.