"The love of our neighbour worketh no evil.
Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law."
Romans 13:10
Douay Rheims Roman Catholic Bible
Though blasts of winder chill our inner beings, occasional April blossoms hint at the arrival of long awaited spring. May we grow in love, by offering for our neighbor frequent prayer and contemplation in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament of Jesus, to whom the month of April is dedicated.
Outward appearances may mask the underlying trials of a person who we find difficult to love. How fitting it is that Jesus and the saints admonish us to refrain from judging our neighbor. Instead, we are taught that to truly love God, we must love all of the persons He created. Further, we are reminded that God is the recipient of our treatment of others! The eternal danger of slander and discord are contrasted to the infinite merit of alms giving and love of our enemies. The conclusion of this chapter of The 12 Steps to Holiness and Salvation presents us with a great consolation, Our Lord's beautiful gift of praying for the dying and faithful departed: "When the soul is departing, say prayers for the dying and recommend the departed soul when it appears before the judgment seat of God. An evergreen wreath of prayers should be laid on the grave and frequent mementoes made during the Holy Mass for a speedy entrance of the departed soul into the everlasting joys of our heavenly home."