Reading and meditation on the Word of God, Thursday of the 24th week in ordinary time, September 16, 2021; memorial of Saint Cornelius and Saint Cyprian, pope and bishop

THE PATH TO LOVE

The theme for our meditation today is: The Path to Love. Pope Cornelius died in Rome and he was only two years on that service for the entire Church. Around the year 257 he governed the Church with the Catholic faithful in Rome consisted of 50 thousand persons. The Roman Emperor Decius persecuted the Church which had caused the pope and many members of the Church died. Among those killed was the Bishop of Carthage, Cyprian, who worked so hard to defend the Church and who was fully supported by Pope Cornelius.

The testimonies of the lives of martyrs and saints such as Saint Cornelius and Saint Cyprian give us many lessons, and one of which should be our walk and struggle to arrive at the Lord Jesus Christ. This should be called the path to love. When one is able to arrive and to meet the Lord Jesus, that love comes to its fullness.

The forgiven woman who was filled with divine graces is our model for repentance. She, like us, had certain heavy burden in life. Once she knew that there was an opportunity and someone could take out that burden, she didn't waste the opportunity. A good helper must be found so that the burden of our lives be removed. That helper must be God, or someone who carries the name and power of God.

The process to obtain compassion or help can actually be called as a path to love. When you find the highest experience of love, which rests in its source, there you find salvation. Sins are removed. Sinners are forgiven. One enters a new experience of life. The path to love normally departs from an experience of seeking a Savior in order to lighten or lift up heavy burdens in life. The one who is in the process of seeking, have not enough love. His patience is little, his understanding is dying, his composure is shattered, his hope is wavering, his thinking is negative, his zeal for life is diminishing, and the door of his heart is closed.

The Holy Spirit guides him to start moving from his lowest situation, then to move forward even though the light is not always bright. He must have met so many people and experienced various situations, all of which were lessons for him. He must continue to walk towards love. Little by little he began to understand that in order to arrive at true Love, there were many obstacles to overcome. He cannot give up and turn back. The goal must be clear, namely to find that love. During this process, his love grew stronger and stronger.

Saint Paul gave a wise advice to his disciple Timothy about enjoying this process of growth with humility and joy. Everyone who is in the process is given enough grace from God so that he can finally arrive at that Love, which is Jesus Christ.