"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."
Paul's letter to Corinthians
You've all heard the expression: "Love does not put food on the table". It's a comment usually directed to young couples who wish to get married but are unable to support themselves. But there is another quote given by Viktor Frankl: "Love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire".
Viktor Frankl was a survivor of four different Nazi death camps during the second world war, including Auschwitz. These camps claimed the lives of his mother, father, wife, and brother. He was stripped of everything during these years of imprisonment, down to the bare bones of his humanity, but during his ordeal, he wrote that he still experienced moments of bliss and consolation, especially when he thought about his beloved wife, parents and brother and other who were near him.
In no uncertain terms, Frankl learned that love was his salvation; that among all the virtues that offered him a source of personal meaning, it was love that proved to be his ultimate and highest goal.
In first Corinthians chapter thirteen, we read St. Paul's beautiful definition of love, a scripture that is often read at weddings. "Be ambitious for the higher gifts. In short, there are three things that last; faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love." St. Paul tells us that we can have many things; things that we may devote a lifetime to attain; things that capture our time, energy, and concentration; but if love is not the motivation behind their acquisition, than they are only the noise of a misdirected life.
Viktor Frankl was stripped of all of these things, but love remained, and it was love that saved him.
In Matthew's gospel, Jesus is saying: "To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces calling out to others"
Jesus is comparing what He sees with children playing games. When children play games, the most important thing is for others to join in. If you are having a dance, come and share in the dancing. Don't just sit as a critical observer on the sidelines. If it is a moment of loss, then join with the others in this moment of grief, and provide the comfort that is needed.
Jesus observed that many people of His generation were not willing to open themselves up to the actions of God, and were acting like obstinate children who refused to take part. They preferred to sit on the sidelines and criticise. They found excuses to reject John the Baptist and called him a demon, and then used the opposite excuse to reject Jesus. "God's wisdom however will prove its validity. Validity will be revealed to those who embrace the Kingdom of God.
What Jesus was seeing in His generation were many violations of love. He saw those who witnessed God's plan, but instead of participating, only criticized what they saw.
But to those who could see love as their ultimate goal, He said: "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children."
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