The Incarnation and the Exultation: An Advent Devotional - Friday, Second Week of Advent – The Vine and Restoration
To the Ends of the Earth: Action – Week 6, Day 4 - Love is the Bonding Agent of Our Fellowship
Photo by Thiago Barletta on Unsplash
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.
Romans 12:9–13
Love is everything. Love descended from heaven and took on flesh, walked the dusty roads of Palestine, and went to the cross to redeem the world. Love left us a holy fellowship of believers, guided by the Holy Spirit. Together we live out the call to build one another up in love. Mature Catholic men focus on the eternal purpose for which we were created: to love as God has loved us. We seek to live stable lives of prayer, evangelization, worship, and ministry, with each man doing his part to follow the direction of Jesus our head. As we live out this unity, we build up one another in love.
There is no virtue as perfect, as powerful, and as potent as sacrificial love. It is the spiritual glue that holds together all that we are in Christ. It is the work that completes our faith, the joyful activity that brings to perfection our fellowship and our mission as a community of believers united in the Lord. As we love our families, our Church, and our world, we bring the grace of God to bear upon the universe. As we carry out our call to love our Catholic brothers, we build them up in their faith and grow with them in fellowship, knowledge, and solidarity of purpose.
Questions for Reflection
What has Jesus taught you about how to love others, particularly your Catholic brothers?
Where do you see love working itself out in the life of your local church? What part do you play in this?
How can you help make the love of Christ a greater reality in the life of a brother today?
Praying with Scripture
I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. (1 Cor 1:10)
You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE
You can watch and listen to this devotion HERE
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About the Author
Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
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