Love in Action

Do you love a mystery? The questions, the assumptions, the possibilities, intrigue one. The killing of eleven Jewish worshippers in their synagogue was disturbing and left many unanswered questions. What made the killer cry, ”Die Jew’?” Why did he live when so many others died?

Perhaps most intriguing was the reaction of a Jewish trauma nurse, Ari Mahler, who treated not the victims, many of which he knew, not knowing the fate of his parents who attend the synagogue, but he treated the perpetrator of the mass killings.

Nursing schools do not teach how to deal with difficult situations. Coping with “secondary traumatic episodes”often leave nurses cold, less empathetic. Ari Mahler’s reaction stemmed from deep religious faith.

He said, “I feel the best way to honor his victims was for a Jew to prove him wrong.”

Why?

“Love is why I did it…love as an action is more powerful than words, and love in the face of evil, gives others hope. It demonstrates humanity; it reaffirms why we’re all here…If my actions mean anything, love means everything.”

Scott Hahn echoes, ”Love is the only law we are to live by. And love is the fulfillment of the law God reveals through Moses. We love neighbor because we can’t love the God we haven’t seen, unless we love those made in His image and likeness, whom we have seen.”

This nurse mirrors the love Jesus showed to all on the cross. “He who knows how to love prepares for himself many graces from God,” says St. Faustina.

At the time of judgement each will be judged on our generosity of giving love to our neighbor, whether the neighbor is deserving or not.

Perhaps, one day, Ari Mahler will be called by God, “Come, sit by me.”