Episode Transcript  

One

Love without Works is Dead

The beginning of St. James letter is very famous for its discussion of faith and works. It’s where we get the well-known line that “faith without works is dead.” But while St. James is talking about the need for works, he writes this, “If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and well-fed,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good does that do?” (James 2:15-16).

If you’re passing a freezing, starving homeless person, and you say, “I wish you food and warmth,” and you don’t actually do anything to help, it’s useless. Obviously. Which means, actually, that not only does Faith need works to be real, living Faith. But also, Love needs works to be real living Love.

Two

Telling People You Love Them is Not Enough

We often emphasize how important it is to tell those around us that we love them. We have to tell our spouses, our kids, our family and friends that we love them. And that’s true enough. It is important to say “I love you,” just like it’s important to verbally profess our faith. But verbal profession, as St. James points out, isn’t enough. Not for faith. Not for love.

We have to actually, actively love others. And what that means, in practice, is two things: We have to make sacrifices for the good of those we love. That’s what it means to actually love people. That’s what we’re supposed to be doing.

Three

Sacrificing for the Natural Good of those You Love

To love someone means to will their good. To work towards their good. And that always involves sacrifice. To tend to someone’s physical needs, for instance, requires sacrifice. A parent’s sacrifice of sleep for their colicky baby, their sacrifice of doing what they would like so they can work to support their family, the sacrifice of your own comfort when you tend a sick relative, or make a meal for a friend whose family is having a difficult time. it’s certainly a sacrifice of money if you’re going to help the poor and hungry in other countries. And even more, when you try to sacrifice for the broader human good of the one you love. It’s the sacrifice involved in being patient with a struggling teenager, the sacrifice involved in putting up with the foibles of your elderly parents, or the sacrifice of opening your home in cheerful hospitality to refresh and renew your guests. Above all, the sacrifice of time in listening to people who need to share the difficulties in their lives.

This is love. This is real love, not a cheap sentimentality. This is love that pleases Our Lord, because it serves the bodies and souls of His beloved children. But there’s a greater love still, one that sacrifices not just for the natural good of others, but for their supernatural good.

Four

Sacrificing for the Supernatural Good of Those We Love

At the end of the day, the only good that matters for anybody, including the ones we love, is holiness. So if we really love people, then the main thing we should be doing is sacrificing for their holiness. So stop for a second, and think of the people you would say you love the most on earth. What are you doing to sacrifice for their holiness? And if you’re not doing anything, how much do you really love them?

One of the things that made Job, in the Old Testament, such a righteous man was his sacrifice for his children’s spiritual welfare. We read that habitually, he would offer prayers and sacrifices for each of his ten children, to offset any of their sins (Job 1:5). So do we pray for our kids and those we love? Do we fast for them? Offer alms on their behalf? This is the number one way to show that our love for them isn’t just emotional or verbal. It’s real.And this is our only chance. There won’t be time to offer sacrifices after we’re dead. Sufferings in purgatory don’t have merit. There are no sufferings in heaven.

Offer your Rosary for a loved one by name. Offer daily Mass for them. When the gifts are placed on the altar, place the loved ones you are praying for one by one on the altar with the gifts of bread and wine. Fast from screens and unnecessary entertainment for the conversion of a loved one. Fast from the things that cause you to sin and offer it up for your conversion and for theirs.

Five

Resolution

The resolution from this meditation is very clear. Think of someone in your life. A family member, a friend, or just someone in your circle who you know could use help. Can you help them materially? Can you help them personally? You definitely can help them spiritually by committing yourself to praying and offering up suffering and sacrifices on their behalf. So what is your plan to do it?

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