Clothed in Christ, Loving as He Loves

Col 3:12-17, Psalm: 150, Lk 6:27-38

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

In the wake of his powerful call to “seek what is above,” Saint Paul does not leave us with a vague, spiritual ideal. Today, he provides us with the practical wardrobe of the new self, the detailed pattern of life for those who are hidden with Christ in God. And the Gospel reveals the stunning, radical perfection to which this new life calls us: the perfection of love.

Paul’s instruction is beautiful and direct: “Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved…” Our identity is the foundation of our action. Because we are chosen, holy, and beloved by God, we are to clothe ourselves in virtues that reflect His own heart: “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” These are not merely moral suggestions; they are the family traits of the household of God. They are to be worn every day, especially in the friction of community life: “bearing with one another and forgiving one another.” And over all these virtues, we must “put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.” Love is the belt that holds the entire outfit together, the virtue that gives all the others their meaning and purpose. This life of love is to be so total that it results in the peace of Christ ruling our hearts and the word of Christ dwelling in us richly, transforming every activity into an act of worship done in the name of the Lord Jesus.

This call to love finds its most challenging and definitive expression in the Gospel. Jesus shatters every natural limitation of love. He commands us to love not only our neighbors but our enemies. He calls us to a love that is proactive, not reactive: “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” This is the divine logic of grace, a love that is utterly gratuitous and unconditional. It is a love that imitates the Father Himself, who “is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” This is the “great reward” and the mark of a true child of the Most High.

Jesus then gives us the golden rule, not as a passive principle but as an active mission: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” He concludes with the breathtaking promise that the measure we use for others will be the measure God uses for us: “Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you… For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

This is where we find our comfort and strength. The command to love our enemies seems impossible on our own. But we are not on our own. We are “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,” already filled with His grace. We do not muster this love from our own limited hearts; we allow the love of Christ, already poured into us, to flow through us to others, even the difficult ones. As St. Thérèse of Lisieux teaches, “It is not enough to love; we must prove it.” This love is a decision, an act of the will empowered by grace.

Pope Francis reminds us, “Jesus asks us to do this because he first did it: he loved us first, he forgives us first… We, forgiven by him, are able to forgive others.”

So how do we apply this today?

1. Get Dressed: Each morning, consciously “put on” one specific virtue. Perhaps today you choose patience, asking for the grace to bear with a difficult person with kindness.
2. Pray for an Enemy: Follow Jesus’ command literally. Pray for someone who has hurt you or with whom you disagree. Ask God to bless them. This act of obedience changes our hearts.
3. Measure Generously: In your judgments, your forgiveness, and your generosity today, be consciously aware of the measure you are using. Choose to make it a large, overflowing measure, trusting in the Lord’s promise of abundant return.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, we are clothed in Christ. Let us go forth and love with His own heart, becoming a perfect gift of love for the world. Amen.