31st Sunday of Ordinary Time [B]

 


31ST SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [B]


If you’re in the presence of a celebrity, the natural impulse would be to ask for an autograph. The celebrity may or may not oblige. Those who do sign usually do so by rushing through the process, scribbling something that’s barely legible—or not legible at all. That’s how it is with celebrities, at least for the most part. And yet, surprisingly enough, that’s NOT how it was for Arnold Palmer. When called upon to sign his autograph, the golfing legend refused to rush through the process. He would provide each fan with a quality autograph—an autograph that reflected care, concern, and precision. From a public standpoint, Arnold Palmer represented a breath of fresh air: here’s somebody who puts more into it. 


Of course, it’s not just about satisfying the fans. Yes, we want the fans to be satisfied. Even moreso, however, we want our God to be satisfied. He’s not looking for an autograph. Rather, he’s looking for a measure of love on our part. How much love? He wants you to invest all of your heart, all of your soul, and all of your strength, according to the Book of Deuteronomy (6:4-9). In Mark chapter twelve the call is for a total investment of your heart, your soul, your strength…and also your mind (12:30). In other words, you need to put something into it. We know that Arnold Palmer puts something into it when he signs autographs. We are being called to put something into it when we express our love for the Lord. It’s about loving him with all of your strength, loving him with all of your mind, loving him with everything that is in your heart, and everything that is in your soul. 


Perhaps this sounds like a tall order. You have love for the Lord within your heart, but you’re worrying that it falls well short of the scriptural mandate. Can this love be made to grow? Can it be enlarged? Can it be somehow enhanced? The key is to get in touch with the love that we are receiving from Heaven. Our second reading deals with the sacrifice that Jesus offers on the hill of Calvary (see Heb. 7:27). His love can be described as a demonstrated love. More particularly, it’s being revealed as a sacrificial love. Don’t take this love for granted. Spend time directing your attention to the crucifix. Meditate and reflect as you gaze upon this image. Allow the love to sink in (or “marinate in it,” as one of my seminary professors was fond of saying).  


What will this mean for you? You will discover a corresponding effect between the one love and the other love. As you grow in your recognition of the Lord’s pattern of love, you will find that your own love for him is now becoming magnified. If you pray the Liturgy of the Hours, you will be familiar with a canticle referred to as the “Magnificat” (drawn from Luke 1:46-55). The words, originally attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, constitute a song of praise. She celebrates the fact that her love for the Lord is being “magnified.”  Through the Annunciation, she begins to gain a new appreciation for the love that God has for her and for the wider human family. This brings about a magnification of her personal love for the Lord. She has been loving the Lord all along. Now, it seems that she’s able to put even more into it. Your own love for the Lord will expand as you come to understand more fully the love that he has for you—and for the broader world. 

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