Mother Teresa once said, “The worst sickness is not being LOVED.”
During this time of holidays and festivities, we must remember those who feel rejected. They’re not only the homeless, they’re also those who are homebound, the elderly, those who are grieving, and anyone who feels isolated in their personal problems and situation.
The breakdown of the family alone is one of the main problems of loneliness nowadays. People are absorbed with their phone screen, they hardly know how to communicate with one another, let alone communicating love.
This sense of rejection can start as early as in the womb. With premarital sex becoming the norm, disposable marriages, fragile commitments, and plurality in relationships, children are left rejected. Couples find children as an “accident” to avoid rather than an asset and a blessing.
Even with Christians the devil uses rejection as one of his main accusations to minister guilt and remorse. He reminds us of our mistakes and failures to make us feel rejected.
But not only must we constantly remember that we are forgiven and loved, but we must also remind others that God’s love is unconditional, ever merciful and never failing. One can hardly find love anywhere else than in God. Everything else will fail, but not God.
We must not only learn to love people but to also EXPRESS LOVE. Love that is unexpressed is no love at all. LOVE IS NOT PASSIVE.
And during this time of pandemic, when everyone feels most isolated, where relational contacts are limited, is the time when we most must manifest love in words and in deeds.
Those children who are raised in families where love is never expressed, where people never tell each other how much they love and need each other, where love is never affirmed, where there are no strong bounds of love, will end up suffering the rest of their lives. This is one of the greatest ills of our world. –Not only with those who are living alone but even with those who are not feeling loved amongst a family.
During this time of Christmas, PRESENTS DO NOT REPLACE PRESENCE. Parents have to be there for their children and spend time with them and express their love and affirm their appreciation for children to feel secure and abound in love to survive in this world.
Will you make the loving effort to show your love to others? Jesus did.