The Message The Greek philosopher, Socrates, once said “Those who are hardest to love need it the most.” Jimmy is an ex-convict. He served a two-year jail term for breaking and entering, and now he’s out on the streets. He has a tattoo that covers half of his face, and he wears some pretty heavy chains attached to his belt. Many people would have already judged him and walked right on by, based on that sentence. They would never bother to get to know Jimmy, hear his story and recognise his gifts. You have to decide to love Jimmy unconditionally in order to see the great guy he is. I decided to love Jimmy and, when I did, Jimmy opened up like a flower. When I gave him the gift of love, he gave me back the real Jimmy.

DO YOU LOVE ME AS I AM? ALWAYS AND FOREVER!

20

The Text (Luke 5:27-32.36-39)After this he went out and saw a tax-collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up, left everything, and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax-collectors and others sitting at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax-collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” … He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, ‘The old is good’.”

“Love needs time and space; everything else is secondary.”Francis, Bishop of Rome (The Joy of Love - §224)

Jimmy is looking for a job, but is finding it hard. In the meantime, he volunteers at the shelter for the homeless. He figures that he can put his experience of living rough to good use here. He spends hours playing his guitar with some of the younger guys. He plays checkers with some older men. They love Jimmy. He’s easy to be with. He doesn’t judge them, and they don’t judge him. He likes Elvis Presley’s music and can do a great imitation. Sometimes he watches over the people who are in danger of being bullied. Sometimes he walks the women home at night, just to make sure they’re okay. But you wouldn’t know any of this if you didn’t love him unconditionally and look beyond what you see and beyond the past you’ve heard gossiped about.

Jimmy isn t̀ easy to love. Some days he’s pretty hard work. He`s been hurt, and he doesn t̀ trust easily. Sometimes he gets scared and runs away. But he comes back. He comes back because he knows he’s loved, and he’s safe. The staff and volunteers at the shelter are home for Jimmy now.

Most of us judge people so easily. We look them over, find them wanting, and walk right on by. But when you love somebody, really love them – unconditionally, because of who they are, rather than in spite of what they’ve done – you begin to really get to know them. Love transfigures people. When you love somebody, you see a different person, and you become a different person.

Have you ever listened to people talking about somebody who’s fallen in love with an unexpected beloved? “I don’t know what he sees in her!” The person who’s in love sees something and someone very different than the one who is not in love. Love gives us new glasses. True love is unconditional. Love just loves. Love doesn’t expect change, or obedience or compliance. Unconditional love is a gift that we give freely and generously. And when we love unconditionally, freely and generously, that’s when we are most like God.

Does God love you and me as we are, with no conditions and no expectations of change? Yes! Does God call us to more life, fuller life? Yes! But God leaves us free to respond and choose our direction. This is love as well – loving the other so unconditionally that we leave him or her free to choose.

St Alphonsus Liguori spoke and wrote about the crazy love of God for us. He was right. God`s love for us is crazy. It doesn t̀ make sense. But it̀ s sure wonderful to be on the receiving end of that kind of love, isn t̀ it? Be like our God. Love unconditionally, freely, crazily. Those who are the hardest to love need it the most.

21

MARY,WELLSPRING OF LOVE,PRAY FOR US THAT WE MAY LOVE ONE ANOTHERAS JESUS HAS SHOWN US.AMEN.