Do you believe in love?

It was lunch time on a Monday. I sat sipping my Coke and watching Sports Center on the TV at Panini's. The TV was muted and music played throughout the restaurant. I casted a blank stare towards the scores at the bottom of the screen.

Anyone who saw me waiting on my sandwich would have thought I was actually interested in whether the Astros won or not. I did not care to be honest. My mind was elsewhere.

I was replaying the events of the weekend in my head. I had just finished a weekend-long retreat for young adults. I was in a great place. I was on what many call a "Spiritual High." The time between Friday night and Sunday afternoon was transformative to say the least. The time devoted to prayer was put on the back-burner for too long. It was good to spend some need time in conversation with God. I met some amazing people. I heard some great talks from priests and young adults that dealt with Mary's role in our salvation and how we can call on our heavenly mother in prayer. I gained a new appreciation and understanding of the rosary. Time was spent celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation, in adoration of the Eucharist, and discerning scripture.

The Sunday of the retreat was Pentecost Sunday. Leaving the retreat I was pretty certain I was feeling the way the Apostles felt after receiving the Holy Spirit. I wanted go out into the world and scream about the goodness of God. But there I was, waiting on lunch and watching ESPN.

I wondered to myself what I would say if someone was to ask me, "what is your faith all about? In ten words or less, what do you believe? Why?" I ponder that question while I waited on my lunch. It's a question that we really ought to think about. In 1 Peter 3: 15 we read, "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope." What was my explanation?

Then, I noticed a familiar voice filling Panini's. It wasn't God. That would have been cool. No, it was Huey Lewis (of course accompanied by his band "The News"). Huey Lewis and The News had a hit in the early 80's called "Do You Believe In Love." And as I heard the chorus of that song a few times, it sort of hit me, that is the ultimate question! Do you believe in love?!?

I thought of all the things that Catholics do and believe that the secular world just "doesn't get." Not eating meat on Fridays during lent. Praying the Rosary outside abortion clinics. Doing Catholic-aerobics (sit, stand, kneel, repeat) every Sunday morning. What is that all about? It's all about love.

Now it will take some time to connect the dots on this and I probably won't fully accomplish that in this post but hopefully in time you will see how all those things are rooted in love.

Now I am not talking about romantic-comedy love. Not talking about how people in Green Bay love the Packers. Not talking about that feeling you had on your first date.

I am talking about real, pure, unconditional love. A love that Huey Lewis can not fully comprehend. A love that was willing to sacrifice His own life so that we might live.

God is love! Don't take my word for it. Check out 1 John 4:8, "Whoever is without love does not know God, FOR GOD IS LOVE."

I think Jesus reaffirms my believe that it all about love. In St. Matthew's Gospel we are told of how the Sadduccees gathered and tested Christ by asking him which commandment in the law is the greatest. Christ one-upped those guys and told him the two greatest commandments. "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
So we are called by Love (if God is love and Jesus is the Word made flesh then Christ is love) to love. Love God and love all of God's creation.

And just to be clear, you don't command someone to feel, you are commanded to an action. We called to the action of loving God and loving neighbor. It's easier said than done. True love, as Christ showed us on the cross, requires sacrifice.

So all those things that I did on retreat were rooted in love. All those Catholic beliefs and rituals, they all lead to love.

So to answer Huey's question, I do believe in love. Do you?