August 9th, 2015 - The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God." - Ephesians 5:2

During my recent visit to Uganda with CARITAS For Children, I found the love of God alive in so many ways. It was quite an edifying experience, and since this weekly message is entitled "Reflections of CARITAS," I thought it would be appropriate to share just a few of the many moments when I encountered God's love.

First, I found God's love in the incredible hospitality of our Ugandan hosts. Our flight landed at the airport in Entebbe around 10:00 p.m., and despite the late hour, a group of about ten priests, religious sisters, and laypeople were waiting to welcome us and escort us on the two-hour journey to the village of Nkokonjeru. All in all, they stayed up past 1:00 a.m. just to help us get settled in. That's love!

Secondly, God's love was vividly present all around me in the beauty of His creation. The lush greenery and rolling hills seemed to be His way of wrapping me in His arms. Golden sunrises and reddish-orange sunsets filled my heart with joy, while the dazzling stars of the African sky lifted my soul heaven.

A third way that I encountered the love of God was by witnessing the love with which the Little Sisters of St. Francis carried out their work. These women are powerhouses of charity, running schools, hospitals, and homes for children and adults in great need. They truly love others by laying down their lives in the same way that Christ gave His life for us on the Cross.

A fourth example was the love displayed by the children we were working with. Over and over again in the Gospels, Jesus tells His disciples that they must become like children in order to enter the kingdom of God. I think that is because children practice a kind of innocence and trust that we adults find difficult to duplicate. Obviously children are not perfect, but the aforementioned qualities make them capable of doing some awe-inspiring acts.

Here's a story to illustrate: During lunch one day at St. Anthony Nursery School, all of the children were eating the roll of bread and small cup of porridge that is provided for each of them daily. I noticed that some of the students were willingly sharing what little bread or porridge they had with their fellow schoolmates. It was a heart-warming and heart-rending reminder of what those of us with much ought to do for those who have little if we wish to truly follow the Lord's command to love one another as He has loved us.

God of Love, give us minds that are pure and hearts that are kind, so that Your boundless generosity may flow forth through our good deeds. We ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.