You probably remember the song of Lionel Riche… “Hello… is it you…” Well, Christ had a similar love song, you probably heard it… maybe it’s just that you didn’t understand that He was singing it for you!
My life changed when I was studying for my undergraduate degree. A rebel and wanting to take advantage of the freedom that I received as young man - I was trying to live life!
However, after a bike accident (nothing serious) - I’d been helped by a friend of mine. Later did I realize that he was an instrument of God. As time went by, he invited me to attend a retreat. Unwilling to go, but out of gratitude for his help… I went along (on my bike)! And what struck me the most was that I was not in a room of very old people, but youngsters around my age - all or mostly studing for a professional degree. A meet with the priest who was in T-shirt and jeans, made me get the feeling something was going to happen here!
As the day went on, we all met up in a hall for the first talk by the priest. And he talked about the important of LOVE… and how everything we do is motivated by love.
Then we were quickly instructed into four groups - A, B, C & D and given one single goal - to WIN. For that, we could use whatever we had on us, whatever was with us and nothing more. To win the game, we had to form the longest line in the hall. And so the whistle blew, and we were rushing around, with total strangers, girls and boys… stretching out, using our socks, shoes, belts etc to make a longer line than the others. And finally, we were lying down… on the floor… all stretched out.
However, in one team… we had one guy who had the guts to take off not only his belt… but also his shirt. Members in his team and some of us were laughing and teasing him. Then when the finall whistle blew, the priest walked around to see who had the longest line. Two teams, A and D were very close… and then another whistle was blewn to get back things in proper order and for us to be seated.
Later on, the priest, spread out his arms and annouced that that was the distance between the second place and the winning team. And guess what, team D had won, all thanks to the member who took off his shirt!!! The distance he had shown… was the length of that guys shirt!!
It hit like a bolt… he gave everything up so the team could win. How many of us took our wallets out, but didn’t want to take out the money. How many girls took of their shawls, but left their necklaces on. We held back. But this young guy didn’t - and that made the difference between those who won and those who didn’t.
What we love is shown in our actions. But the usual love is take and take and take. Sometimes its a give and take. But mostly take. We all like to receive. But what hit me later on, was this was how we were NOT supposed to live life. We were to turn the table upside down, a complete 180 degree turn. We were to give, give, give and keep on giving until it hurt. And when it hurt, give some more.
