Father Thomas Welbers' Homily	Jump back to Homily Index
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 1, 2004 (Together in Mission Commitment Sunday) Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 Luke 4:21-30	Listen to Audio

The theme of this year’s Annual Archdiocesan Appeal is, “Love is kind,” a tiny phrase taken from that wonderful discourse on the qualities of love in the first letter of Paul to the Christians at Corinth which we heard a few minutes ago in the second reading. Of all the words in that reading to describe love, why did they choose “love is kind” for this year’s theme? This past week I spent some time pondering that question.

What is it about the word, “kind”? It’s always seemed to me one of those wimpy words, like “nice,” that you use when you want to say something positive about someone but can’t find anything really good to say. You know, if he’s not outstanding in any way, he’s, well, “nice.” If she’s not generous to a fault, best-friend material, great leadership skills, she’s at least, well, “kind.”

So, “love is kind.” That doesn’t seem to be saying very much. Until, as I did, you really look into the word, discover where it came from, and find out what’s behind it. Then, the word “kind” takes on a whole new perspective. You can get a clue from words like “kin” and “kindred” – the Old English root of the word means “family.” As an adjective, it means “the way persons in a family relate to one another.” “Kindness” is really recognizing another person as your brother or sister, and acting towards them out of that family relationship.

“Love is kind,” then, means that we do not draw lines of separation in our love – in God’s family there is no in-group and out-group. There are no people whom we can exclude from our attention and care because they are not “our kind.” In Christ, everyone is “our kind,” everyone is “our own.”

In today’s Gospel we saw that this is what got Jesus into trouble right from the very start. He came back to his own hometown, among his many relatives, and they said, “What’s all this you’re doing for all these other people? Why don’t you just stay home and get a job like the rest of us?” And because they thought they knew him so well, he couldn’t even lead them to see the importance of his mission to bring good news to the poor, as we heard last week. They wanted no part of that.

Our annual Together in Mission appeal requires us to look anew at our relationships beyond our own families, circles of friends, and communities – and to see our real relationship in Christ with the much broader spectrum of people. As members of the Church, we are one with our brothers and sisters in many places, and are asked to have a special care for those who are served by the local church of which we are a part, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. This week, we have Sister Angelica, the principal our sister school, Santa Teresita in East Los Angeles, here to speak.

(Introduce Sr. Angelica.)

If you have already made your pledge to Together in Mission, I thank you very much. If you have not yet made your pledge, I ask you to do it now. Envelopes and pencils are in the pews. (If you need an envelope or pencil, please raise your hand so that one of our wonderful OLA students can give you one – along with a bright smile!) Please be sure to fill in the information very legibly and completely, and remember to pledge an amount that you can fulfill in a series of monthly installments over the next six or eight months. You will receive monthly reminders. A significant pledge is much more important than a donation now, but if you wish to begin with the donation of the first installment of your pledge, that is certainly welcome. Just be sure to note it appropriately on the pledge card.

When you have completed filling out your pledge information, please tear the flap from the envelope, place it inside, and seal it. Hold it up for one of our students to pick it up. You may have to wave it a bit to attract their attention – and students, be sure to look all around you. And I know you won’t forget to smile and say “thank you.”

A lot of people are saying thank you. The priests and religious and lay men and women, boys and girls of 32 parishes and 46 schools are saying thank you.

I want also to thank in a special way the student council of OLA School who are helping us at this Mass, and Mrs. Erica Hamel, our principal, and Miss Bernadette Boyle, our vice-principal, for their continued support in coordinating the students who are helping.

Finally, my thanks to all of you. I am grateful to be your pastor, and am always deeply moved by your love and generosity. Among you, truly in word and deed, “love is kind” becomes a living reality.

© Thomas Welbers 2004