A wise teacher brought balloons to school and told her students to blow them up and write their name on their balloon. The children then tossed their balloons into the hall. The teacher moved through the hall mixing them all up. The kids were given five minutes to find the balloon with their name on it, but though they searched frantically, no one found their own balloon. Then the teacher told them to take the balloon closest to them and give it to the person whose name was on it.  In less than two minutes, everyone was holding their own balloon. The teacher said to the children, “These balloons are like happiness. We will not find it when we’re only searching for our own. But if we care about someone else’s happiness…. it will ultimately help us find our own.”

What a wonderful way to teach caring for others. Our purpose in life is to make people, others, rather than things, our greatest priority and by giving priority to the needs of others in our daily lives.

In Scripture, Jesus taught once and for all that love for God and love for neighbour are inseparable; moreover, they sustain one another. God wants you to be a caring person, sensitive to the needs of others and aware of how to serve them.

Jesus therefore expects us to offer love, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, the spirit of the Beatitudes – it is in these that we find the spirit in which Jesus meant the Golden Rule – “always treat others as you would like them to treat you” [Matthew 7:12].

We are not only called to love, but we are also called to love with all our being, to give of ourselves completely and without reserve.  This is radical and requires that we hold nothing back.

As we follow Jesus’ command to love one another, we need to ensure we are in touch with God’s love for us. If you aren’t receiving it yourself, you will surely have a difficult time giving it away.

I have fond memories of my years as a School Chaplain in a Catholic Primary School. Part of my duties involved a Toast & Talk programme, in which the day began, twice per week, with the chance for the students to have a hot piece of toast with their choice of spread. At an event to mark Chaplain’s Day, I was presented at School Assembly with a creative poster of a smiling yellow cartoon toaster into which each of the classes inserted a large piece of cardboard toast with beautiful messages from all students. Whilst this gesture and the content of the messages touched me deeply, what was to follow was even more heart-warming.

As I returned to my seat near the back of the hall, row upon row of little hands were held out for “high fives” from eager, smiling, happy students. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, I couldn’t possibly count the number of hugs I received that day. It was an outpouring of love that filled my heart with joy, leading me to spend quiet time reflecting on just how the Spirit is at work in my life.

To be like Jesus is to be a person willing to put others before yourself, to seek wisdom, and to care about how you interact with all people you come across in life. It is to love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and to love others as Jesus loves you.

Live your life in the love and peace of Christ Jesus. When the people around you see the peace in your life, even when it seems like you’re surrounded by storms, you can bet they’ll want to know how to get what you got!

Divine love is always without conditions. Love is simply given, no strings attached. Those who want to live meaningfully and well can help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. Those who choose to be happy can help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all…

There is truth in the saying that by helping others you help yourself!  Take the focus off yourself and help others in need. American author and humanitarian, Maya Angelou offers this advice: “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”

St Paul promises that those who come to Christ are turned into the image they reflect. “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit” [2 Corinthians 3:18]. What a glorious promise!

Have a golden day and treasure life!