To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Week 6, Day 1 - The Grain Must Die to Produce Fruit
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But if any one has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:17–18
As Catholic men, we are called to witness, not just to the world at large, but in a special way to those people God has placed in our lives. To do this, we must be men of action in our fellowship with our brothers in the Faith. In our weaknesses and struggles, we are able to grow together as men. This is because we draw strength from one another and from Jesus. Together, we find our greatest unity through the cross of Christ. In this way, we build each other up within the Body of Christ and come to a more complete relationship with our Savior.
While thoughts and prayers, kind words and sound advice all have their place in our interactions with our brothers, it is our actions that will speak some of the greatest truth into other men’s lives. Actions put flesh on our intentions and bring our prayers to fruition. They pull Christ out of heaven and manifest him through the movement of our hands and feet in the world. This is the most powerful witness of the power of salvation for it demonstrates love in deed and in truth.
Our love for our brothers shows itself the most powerfully when we do for them as Jesus has done for us. Only in this way can we truly give witness to brotherly love. This week, we will focus on five key attributes of brotherly love, as we consider how essential it is for us as witnesses of God’s saving love.
1. Real brotherly love is action love.
We cannot simply offer kind words without backing up those words with good deeds. When we are confronted with a need, we must strive to meet it. It is our privilege to serve our brothers and sisters out of the abundance of love God has given to us. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, bearing witness to his great love for the world. As needs are met, it causes people to seek the source of the gift given to them.
2. Real brotherly love is sacrificial.
Jesus laid down his life for us. We should be willing to do the same for our brothers, whether this means lending our time, our talent, or our treasure whenever they need our help to move forward on the journey of life. The greatest sign of the truth of the Gospel is our willingness to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of touching the lives of others. Acts of love show them the heart of Christ.
3. Real brotherly love is strong in the storm.
Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” We need to be there for our brothers not just during the easy days, but when times are tough. True men of action have their brothers’ backs. This demonstrates that the strength that drives them to serve in the storm comes from Christ and Christ alone.
4. Real brotherly love anticipates needs and serves with mutual honor.
We are to honor our brothers and sisters by knowing them well enough to understand their needs. We must honor each other with mutual affection (see Rom 12:10), always being ready to share our lives, witnessing to the love Christ has shown us, and honoring the unique journeys of the men we serve in his name.
5. Real brotherly love has Christ as its source.
Jesus gave his life in love for us and calls us his brothers. His sacrifice has enabled all of us to be committed brothers to our fellow believers, unashamed and uplifted in his strength. As we move through this life with its trials and triumphs, our changed lives bear witness to the power that lies at the center of all we say and do. It is that power that draws others into the kingdom and changes their lives forever.
A Call to Action
It is in everyday living as Catholic men that we discover the gift of loving like Christ. This week, consider ways you can grow closer to other Catholics, particularly your Catholic brothers. Reflect on the lives of the others you know. How can you take your spiritual relationships to a deeper level? How can you grow in friendship with your closest friends? How can you turn acquaintances into family members? Make a pledge to spend time with believers in open and vulnerable communication, offering support and seeking their strength in your life as well. Remember that as we lift each other up and live out the Gospel in unity, we become powerful witnesses of Christ’s love in the lives of those closest to us and in the world.
The witness of brotherly love, inspired by Christ’s death and resurrection, is powerful. As we love others with the same love Christ has given us, we share the Gospel in a way that goes beyond words alone.
You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE
Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
