Choose to Love

Love your neighbor as you love yourself. How many times have we as parents and teachers fallen back on this… the second greatest commandment…to establish peace and order? How many times have we used it to teach a child empathy? 

It is timeless. The Golden Rule. It has been applied for all ages across all situations that require virtue regardless of cultural background.

Sadly, we tend to focus on just the first three words, forgetting the dangling truth that makes loving one’s neighbor even possible…love of self.  What a fruitless application of this opportunity for grace if we never become intentional about knowing and loving ourselves first. 

Jesus Christ makes it clear. 

Love God (with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul.)

Love yourself (know yourself…grow yourself.)

Love your neighbor (as you love yourself.)

If you hate yourself, how then can you love your neighbor as yourself? 

If you are merciful with yourself, how much more mercy you will receive and offer to your spouse, your friends, your children, your students…your nemesis.

In our Catholic schools the weeks leading up to Holy week can often become overwhelming. We are all a little stir crazy. We all need sunshine. We get a little spread thin and emotionally charged. It is Lent. We’re trying so hard to discipline ourselves and noticing with more clarity than ever our shortcomings. 

Don’t let this be cause to lose peace of heart. If you lose peace of heart with yourself, you will lose peace of heart in your relationships. 

During the school mass homily this week, Fr. Roy reminded all of us that Love is a choice. Everyday we must wake up and choose to love God - not matter what crosses and challenges we face. 

We must wake up and choose to love ourselves. We must recommit to having a growth mindset about our virtuous life. We are called to reexamine who we are through tools like the temperaments. We must choose to battle our vices and share our intentionally share our virtues and charisms.

Only now can we choose to love our neighbor. We can focus on relationships with a growth mindset by “starting over” not just daily, but hourly, even by the minute…Realizing that in every encounter is a piece of yourself in the other. Only then can we live out the greatest commandment.  

Let go of your fixed mindset that convinces us we must prove ourselves to God. We can’t. Do not become discouraged by failures and try to hide your deficiencies.  You can’t. He sees into our very depths. Let us try instead to see ourselves the same.

Choose today to Love God with a growth mindset. Open your heart, your mind, your soul unto Him with all its imperfection and say, “Lord, help me to achieve my unknowable potential. You created me. Keep creating me over and over again. Then let His grace and mercy just fill you.

Choose today to Love God above all else.

Choose today to Love Yourself.