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THE HEART OF THE MATTER (1 CORINTHIANS 13:8-13) LENT DAY 7

REFLECTION
The heart of the matter is the theme for our reflection. The heart of the matter means the most important or essential part of a subject matter or a discussion. We shall discover that love is at the heart of the matter or is the most important virtue of the Christian fellowship and teachings.

Beloved in the Lord Paul dedicated ample time to write about the importance of love among Christians. For Paul, everything we do as believers must be motivated by love because the heart of the matter concerning Christian fellowship, teaching, ministry and mission is love. It is for this reason he wrote “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away…And now these three remain faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:8,13). In other words, we were saved because God first loved us, and out of the love of God for humanity, we now have faith and hope in Him through Jesus Christ. Everything began with love hence “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Again, Jesus mentioned love as the heart of the matter in our Christian mission and discourse when He said to the disciples ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35). Indeed, love is at the heart of the matter because “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Beloved in the Lord we must re-examine our lives during the Lent season to see whether or not our action and speech towards other people is motivated by the love of God in us. Do we interact with people in our communities, workplaces and congregations with unconditional love and we are ready to share our time and resources with those who are in need? Jesus gives us a clue on how we shall be judged on the final day, the judgement shall be based on how well we have unconditionally loved those who needed our help the most in our families, societies and congregations. The Lord will ““…say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40). Beloved in the Lord as we fast, pray and read the Scriptures, let us remember to love one another unconditionally because love is the heart of the matter from Genesis to Revelations or from creation to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In summary, we have reflected on the theme “The heart of the matter” We have discovered that love is at the heart of the matter or is the most important virtue of the Christian fellowship. Jesus says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:12-13) Shalom.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, may our actions and speech be motivated and greatly influenced by the unconditional love You showed us on the cross. May we love as You have loved us and may the love we share as children of God bring joy, peace and unity into the Church. Amen.