“Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” – Romans 13:8
ESPN The Magazine recently ran a story about Melvin Gordon, a football player for the Wisconsin Badgers who has excelled as an athlete and hopes to make it to the NFL next year. According to the article, Gordon’s work ethic sets him apart from his peers:
It’s nearing 3 A.M. in Madison, Wisconsin, and many of Melvin Gordon's teammates are lounging at home after a June night out — splayed on couches, winding down, getting ready to call it a night. Gordon is not. To find him, you'd need to look to the front yard, where the 6-foot-1 junior has tossed a rope ladder to the ground and chosen this time, as good a time as any, to run a few agility drills.
Catching his breath between sprints, Gordon sent a text to one of his teammates that said, “Are you sleeping or getting better? I’m getting better.” Later, that teammate told the reporter that Gordon is “always going to do something a little bit extra, something to help him get to where he’s going.”
When it comes to loving God and our neighbor, we ought to have the same attitude. Imagine if we put in the extra effort to love as much as possible, rather than just trying to meet the minimum requirement.
St. Paul assures us in Sunday’s second reading from his letter to the Romans that if we love one another, we’ll have our bases covered. Of course, if we love others, then we won’t kill, steal, or covet. Yet, love goes beyond simply avoiding bad behavior, because “love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Love always gives extra, transcending basic obedience to the rules. To paraphrase the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola, love gives without counting the cost, fights without heeding the wounds, and toils without seeking for rest.
The good news is that this kind of sacrificial love always gives rise to new life. Just think; because of Love the Word became Flesh. God’s generosity brought the Law itself to life! Talk about fulfillment!
When we love one another, the same thing happens: we become more fully alive. Therefore, let us live fully and love one another with a reckless abandon. Let us do all we can to serve our neighbors, especially those in need around the world.
God of Love, teach us how to love. We thank you for the many ways in which you have loved us. Enflame our hearts and increase our generosity, we may lay down our lives for one another without counting the cost. Give us the grace to love You better each and every day. Amen.