Living in His Love
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 Jn. 4:16
When we love God, He loves us and He lives in us. When we love our sisters and brothers, God is part of that relationship too. This love is not a passive feeling but an active, daily choice. It is the quiet strength that carries us through trials, and difficulties. Who are our brothers and sisters? Everybody is. All who are created by the Hand of God are our brothers and sisters. Even the lepers are, as Saint Francis of Assisi has shown us. Lepers in the 13th Century were the outcasts, the unwanted, and, for the most part, the unloved. There are many lepers in the 21st Century, too. In order to love them, you have to understand who they are, and why they merit our love.
We are never alone in trials and suffering. If we pray a lot, these trials are not so difficult. There is suffering in my life, but it is overcome by staying close to Jesus in prayer and love. Love with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and for this Franciscan, with Saint Francis and many of the Franciscan Saints and Blesseds.
Peace and Good,
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
October 21, 2026