he first

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 John 4:19 -- 5:4 Psalm 72:1-2, 14-15, 17 Luke 4:14-22

1 John 4:19 We love, because loved us.

We have a tendancy as humans to want to measure and judge in order that we might have a better grasp of who we are and we hope and try to make that better than it probably is. But we can only love because God first loved us. That means that it is not us who are worthy of credit for love and good works, but God who loved us first enabling us to share his love with others.
When we get that I think the measuring and judging go away because we know that whatever love we have is from God, and who among us is willing to measure or judge God?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to seek to share your love rather than attempt to take credit for what love I think that I have.

Amen