Excellent. Thank you Fr. Hugh for this expansive and insightful reflection on the reason to Love One Another. It seems to me, that this Commandment given by Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to the Apostle, has got lost or is not valued in our world today, seeing the amount of wars, confrontations, anger and greed which is everywhere to be heard and seen and with not improvement in sight. Tom
Hugh Duffy
Well said, Tom. The new commandment is also not appreciated in the Church. This is a great scandal because to love one another is of the essence of Jesus’s teaching. Why this is so, is the question. I’d like to hear your views on this.
Gary Clarke
Very timely message in this current troubling world.
Hugh Duffy
I left you a comment, Tom, but it didn’t post. So here I go again:
I appreciate your comment. Not only is the new commandment “to love one another” ignored by society as a whole, it is also ignored, by and large, by the Church itself. The history of corruption by the institution bears this out. This message needs to be practised courageously by all Catholics to reform the Church. Any thoughts?
Regina Carranto
Dear Father Duffy,
When you visited and celebrated Mass at St. Christopher Catholic Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, I had a very meaningful experience with you. It was my birthday in June and I served as the music minister, and it was truly inspiring when you prayed to dedicate my musical service to God. I am thankful to subscribed to your email newsletter.
With prayers,
Regina Carranto
Hugh Duffy
Glad you’ve dedicated your musical gift to the Creator, Regina. I’m sure you continue to inspire many as you inspired me with your music several years ago. Music! Oh, how faint, how sweet, language faints before your spell.
Tom Walsh
Thank you Fr. Hugh for replying to my text and identifying the loss of the New Commandment within the Church, which is very clear to see, I believe. In this case I am assuming you are referring to the clergy from the top down and not the laity. If this is the case and it is the clergy, yes in essence they should practice what they preach. Please God one day, this will be the way. Amen. Tom
Hugh Duffy
Thanks, Tom, for your response. Regrettably, Christ’s new commandment to love one another the way He loved us is sadly lacking in the institutional Church which has been more concerned with the exercise of power than kindness to one another. I won’t go into the details, but I wrote about them in my memoir: You Duped Me, O Lord.
Continue to follow Jesus’s clear message, my friend, and be blessed.
Bartholomew Okere
Fr. Duffy, read with keen interest your masterpiece on the topic of Love and neighbor. You highlighted every dement-ion of love, biblically, spiritually and relationally. Love as the world sees it has lost its meaning due to human propensity and selfish ambitions. People have lost the love of Jesus and hold on to the mundane and erotic love. Even the church has failed to show Jesus’ love. Thx
Hugh Duffy
Thanks, Bart, for your insightful comment. If the new commandment of Jesus had been practiced in the Church, we would not be witnessing the onslaught of scandals we’re seeing. Be faithful to Jesus’s magnificent teaching on love, and be blessed, brother.
Let me wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
10 Comments
Tom Walsh
Excellent. Thank you Fr. Hugh for this expansive and insightful reflection on the reason to Love One Another. It seems to me, that this Commandment given by Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to the Apostle, has got lost or is not valued in our world today, seeing the amount of wars, confrontations, anger and greed which is everywhere to be heard and seen and with not improvement in sight. Tom
Hugh Duffy
Well said, Tom. The new commandment is also not appreciated in the Church. This is a great scandal because to love one another is of the essence of Jesus’s teaching. Why this is so, is the question. I’d like to hear your views on this.
Gary Clarke
Very timely message in this current troubling world.
Hugh Duffy
I left you a comment, Tom, but it didn’t post. So here I go again:
I appreciate your comment. Not only is the new commandment “to love one another” ignored by society as a whole, it is also ignored, by and large, by the Church itself. The history of corruption by the institution bears this out. This message needs to be practised courageously by all Catholics to reform the Church. Any thoughts?
Regina Carranto
Dear Father Duffy,
When you visited and celebrated Mass at St. Christopher Catholic Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, I had a very meaningful experience with you. It was my birthday in June and I served as the music minister, and it was truly inspiring when you prayed to dedicate my musical service to God. I am thankful to subscribed to your email newsletter.
With prayers,
Regina Carranto
Hugh Duffy
Glad you’ve dedicated your musical gift to the Creator, Regina. I’m sure you continue to inspire many as you inspired me with your music several years ago. Music! Oh, how faint, how sweet, language faints before your spell.
Tom Walsh
Thank you Fr. Hugh for replying to my text and identifying the loss of the New Commandment within the Church, which is very clear to see, I believe. In this case I am assuming you are referring to the clergy from the top down and not the laity. If this is the case and it is the clergy, yes in essence they should practice what they preach. Please God one day, this will be the way. Amen. Tom
Hugh Duffy
Thanks, Tom, for your response. Regrettably, Christ’s new commandment to love one another the way He loved us is sadly lacking in the institutional Church which has been more concerned with the exercise of power than kindness to one another. I won’t go into the details, but I wrote about them in my memoir: You Duped Me, O Lord.
Continue to follow Jesus’s clear message, my friend, and be blessed.
Bartholomew Okere
Fr. Duffy, read with keen interest your masterpiece on the topic of Love and neighbor. You highlighted every dement-ion of love, biblically, spiritually and relationally. Love as the world sees it has lost its meaning due to human propensity and selfish ambitions. People have lost the love of Jesus and hold on to the mundane and erotic love. Even the church has failed to show Jesus’ love. Thx
Hugh Duffy
Thanks, Bart, for your insightful comment. If the new commandment of Jesus had been practiced in the Church, we would not be witnessing the onslaught of scandals we’re seeing. Be faithful to Jesus’s magnificent teaching on love, and be blessed, brother.
Let me wish you a happy and healthy New Year.