20260529 Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

[그리움하나]

(1 Pt 4:7–13, Mk 11:11–25): "Clothe Yourselves with Love Above All"

Dear brothers and sisters, today’s readings offer a profound resonance regarding the mindset we, as believers—especially those of us who serve the Lord—must carry in our hearts.

In the first reading, St. Peter exhorts us, "The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be serious and sober for prayers" (1 Pt 4:7). This is not a call to fear the end times, but a reminder that every moment is a precious opportunity to encounter the Lord. It is an invitation to refine our hearts before Him, ensuring we do not lose the purity and fervent passion of our initial calling.

Peter then adds, "Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Pt 4:8). In our service, conflicts inevitably arise—whether through differences in values or diverse approaches to our tasks—and we may at times grow weary. Yet, if we truly feel the meaning of love in our hearts and act upon it, we will begin to view all our efforts and human failings through the lens of the Lord’s mercy. The more we reach out in love, the more deeply we will understand one another and be able to cover each other's wounds. Love is the most beautiful garment we can wear to embrace one another. Service without this garment, no matter how magnificent it may appear in the eyes of others, is but a hollow, clanging cymbal without a soul.

In today’s Gospel, we witness the Lord’s passionate zeal as He clears the temple, longing for the repentance of those who allowed their own interests to blind them to the fruits of God’s will. This was not merely a critique of a hardened reality where faith had faded; it was a heartfelt, parental lament—a desire for us not to forfeit our beautiful and precious portion as children of God.

Thus, the Lord teaches us in Mark 11:24-25, "All that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance." He urges us to hold a perfect faith in God while simultaneously filling our hearts with forgiveness, so that we may be filled with a spotless love.

If we claim to do the Lord’s work while remaining unable to forgive our brothers and sisters, our prayers cannot reach heaven. The name of the Lord's glory must never become a mere mask for our own pride or stubbornness. True service is not about asserting our own will, but about emptying ourselves so that the Lord’s forgiveness and love may be transmitted through our hands, just as they are.

The service we perform is not meant to reveal "us," but to reveal "Him." The image of Jesus cleansing the temple is a teaching to wash away the unnecessary greed, arrogance, and loveless zeal residing within our own hearts.

Dear brothers and sisters, in your workplaces and in every space where you relate to others, please remember the Apostle’s urgent plea: "Love one another." Having a humble, open heart that treats others as brothers and sisters brings greater glory to the Lord—and serves as a greater gift of comfort and joy to one another—than performing any "great" work. The warm word you offer someone today is the very moment you put on that garment of love.

Fasten the button of 'love' securely onto the garment of your very being. When you do, your labors will become the most beautiful fragrance in the eyes of the Lord. Today, we are all called to manifest the glory of the Lord. Rather than working by our own power, I pray that we may first clothe ourselves in His love, and through the strength of that love, live a day filled with the joy of praying, forgiving, and humbly serving our neighbors. Amen.