Love in the World
Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver in a sermon December 22nd 1940 said,
“There is one other fundamental difference between love and hate. Love is always a refuge. Hate is never a refuge. Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in his hates. But love is the enduring sanctuary of life. Life may rob you of many things. It often does. But it can never bereave us of love itself. That remains.” Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, rabbinic leader.
What he said is true. Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in hate,
Anne Frank a young Jewish girl who hid from the Nazis in world war two Netherlands. A young girl who sadly would later die in a death camp as a result of hate, wrote,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can? And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world. Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible. Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving! No one has ever become poor from giving!” Anne Frank
What Anne said was absolutely true. Another Jew, Jesus, when asked said,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus however did not stop there he said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45.
He also made the statement,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
The apostle Paul defined love saying,
As I look around the world today there is a lot of hate, be that hate on an industrial scale as shown by terrorist groups, or on the streets of many cities with gangs or individuals.
The world needs to be showing more love. Francis of Assisi wrote,
There is a wonderful prayer attributed to Francis of Assisi that states,
Please think about it.
Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver in a sermon December 22nd 1940 said,
“There is one other fundamental difference between love and hate. Love is always a refuge. Hate is never a refuge. Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in his hates. But love is the enduring sanctuary of life. Life may rob you of many things. It often does. But it can never bereave us of love itself. That remains.” Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, rabbinic leader.
What he said is true. Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in hate,
Anne Frank a young Jewish girl who hid from the Nazis in world war two Netherlands. A young girl who sadly would later die in a death camp as a result of hate, wrote,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can? And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world. Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible. Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving! No one has ever become poor from giving!” Anne Frank
What Anne said was absolutely true. Another Jew, Jesus, when asked said,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus however did not stop there he said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45.
He also made the statement,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
The apostle Paul defined love saying,
“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13
Whether you are a Christian or not you cannot deny what Jesus said is true.As I look around the world today there is a lot of hate, be that hate on an industrial scale as shown by terrorist groups, or on the streets of many cities with gangs or individuals.
The world needs to be showing more love. Francis of Assisi wrote,
There is a wonderful prayer attributed to Francis of Assisi that states,
“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Francis of Assisi
Perhaps all of us should be practising what Francis of Assisi is saying because no matter who you are showing Love to the world around you can do no harm. And just might make you life and that of others infinitely better.Please think about it.
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