THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Offaly columnist advises live your life with the 'look of love'

During his Sunday Angelus recently with pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square, Pope Leo gave us a call to love when he said, “Let us where we are, never miss an opportunity to love. This is the vigilance that Jesus asks of us, to get used to being attentive, available and sensitive to one another, as He is with us every moment.” Also while at a neighbour's wedding earlier this weekend in the West of Ireland, Fr. Tadgh the main celebrant spoke about living one's life with the 'look of love' and grabbing all the opportunities to love that God puts before us all each new day.

Opportunities to love

Every day is filled with opportunities. Every situation is an invitation to trust God, and every relationship is a chance to love with Jesus. Scripture reminds us, “This is love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Love begins with God. It flows into our hearts, and it calls us outward, toward every person and circumstance He places in our path. Love is the heartbeat of our faith. It is both our calling and our purpose. It is first received, then freely shared. Without it, our words, our actions, even our faith, are empty. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1).

True love is action

Love is not merely feeling, it is doing. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). True love is patient when we would rather be angry, forgiving when we are tempted to hold grudges, generous when we would rather cling, courageous when fear tempts us to hide. Love is more than words, it is choices, sacrifices, and actions rooted in God’s heart. Faith and love are like rivers if they dwell within us, they overflow into the world; if they are absent, doubt, fear, and idolatry can take hold and hinder our witness.

Difficult people, trying events, and mundane routines all become stages for God’s love to shine when our hearts are aligned with Him. Each small act whether it is a word of encouragement, a moment of patience, a gesture of kindness, is an opportunity to glorify Jesus. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

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The look of love

Begin by seeing others as God sees them. Look at your spouse, children, parents, friends, neighbours and colleagues and look past their flaws, past their irritations and see the blessing of their presence. Watch for love in the world such as the parent soothing a child, the stranger offering a smile, the colleague extending kindness. These small moments are not accidental, they are God’s love flowing into our lives. As we grow in awareness, we can choose to let that love guide our eyes, our words, and our actions.

Seeing Jesus in others

The key to living a love-filled life is seeing others as opportunities to love Jesus. When we view people through the lens of faith, their flaws fade, and their deservingness of love emerges. Caring for another becomes not a burden but a privilege. As Jesus taught in Matthew 25:37-40, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” When we serve, forgive, encourage, or comfort others, we are serving Christ Himself.

Opportunities to love in every moment

Spiritually, each moment presents an opportunity to love. Whether through prayer, acts of generosity, service, kindness, forgiveness, or acceptance, our lives can radiate God’s love. Every interaction, every choice, becomes a chance to reflect His divine nature. As the apostle Paul wrote, “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have no love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). Love is the currency that gives value to all our actions. Practice if you can the following practical expressions of Love - Serve one another: Offer help where it is needed, particularly in your community and church. Show generosity: Give of your time, talent, and resources as an extension of God’s grace. Pray for others: Let love flow from your heart through intercession, especially for the lonely and struggling. Be kind and forgiving: Treat each person with tenderness and compassion. Accept others: Mirror God’s acceptance even toward those who challenge or frustrate you. Bear burdens: Help others carry their trials, reflecting Christ’s selfless love. Encourage and esteem others: Strengthen relationships and build unity in your community. Regard others as more important than yourself: Choose humility, putting the needs of others first.

Living loved – A spiritual framework

To live a life overflowing with love, we must first receive God’s love deeply and personally. Consider these guiding steps: L – Leave pretence behind (Psalm 62:8). O – Operate out of who God says you are (Ephesians 2:10). V – Value revelation (Romans 8:15-17). E – Embark on having well-healed wounds (Psalm 147:3). D – Draw ever-deeper into His Love (Ephesians 3:14-19). It is from this wellspring of God’s love that we can serve others without self-interest, forgive without resentment, and offer hope without expectation.

Love that challenges

Love is not only gentle, it is demanding. Jesus calls us to love those who are difficult, who hurt us, who seem unlovable. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27–28). It is easy to love the lovable, but Christ asks us to stretch beyond our comfort. Love asks us to open our hearts to the marginalized, the poor, the lonely, the rejected. It is in these moments, when love costs most, that we most closely imitate Jesus. Love has the power to resurrect life, joy, and hope. Just as a child rediscovers an old toy with delight, or a family reunites in gratitude, so too can love revive relationships and restore hearts. A kind word, a listening ear, a helping hand, a forgiving heart, these small acts have eternal significance. Every act of love reflects God’s mercy, and in giving love, we receive it. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Living the look of love daily

This week, choose one act of true love each day. Speak kindly to those who irritate you. Offer patience to those who frustrate you. Pray for those who seem beyond reach. Serve without expectation. Let love guide your decisions, your interactions, your thoughts. Remember that we come into this world with nothing but love and leave with nothing but love. “Faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

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Thought for the week

As your thought for the week, do not miss the God-appointed opportunities in your life. See each person, each encounter, and each situation as a stage to reflect divine love. Love in ways that stretch you, that cost you, that challenge your pride, your comfort, your preconceptions. Let your actions reveal Jesus to the world. Remember, love changes us as much as it changes others. May God bless you this week with eyes to see opportunities where others only see interruptions. A heart wide enough to love the difficult and the unlovable. Hands ready to serve and comfort the weary. Courage strong enough to love when it costs you most. Joy that is deep enough to keep giving when you feel empty. Let me leave you with one of my prayers about 'Living with the Look of Love' - "Loving God, Open my eyes to see Your presence in all people I meet. Give me a heart willing to love as You love, freely, fully, unconditionally. Teach me to embrace each opportunity to serve, encourage, forgive, and comfort, seeing Jesus in the least of these. Fill me with courage when love costs, patience when love is tested, and joy when love is expressed. May my life reflect Your mercy, my hands carry Your grace, and my words speak Your truth. Draw me ever deeper into Your love, so that I may give love as You give it, abundantly and without reserve. And in living this love, help me to become a blessing, a witness, and a reflection of Your Heart in the world. Amen.