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Reel Homilies

Love Is Not Just a Feeling

Episode Summary

What if love was only a feeling? Fr. Tim opens by admitting that years ago, if that were true, he would have run away from being a priest.

If love is just a feeling, then it is just attraction, emotion, butterflies in the stomach. And if that is all it is, we should chase it wherever it goes. Fr. Tim says plainly that this is wrong. For Jesus, love is not only a feeling. It is a commandment, something we choose and will ourselves to do.

He gives a simple example. We may not feel like being kind to someone we do not like, but we can still choose to be kind. In the same way, he gets to choose every single day to love Jesus and belong to him completely in the priesthood. In marriage, a husband and wife choose each other every single day, no matter what the feeling or attraction is in that moment.

The good news is that love is a choice, not just a mood. That means it is always within reach, and we can always take the next step. As Fr. Tim puts it, it’s your move.

[00:00:00 –> 00:00:02] I would have run away from being a priest. [00:00:02 –> 00:00:03] Years ago, [00:00:03 –> 00:00:04] if love was a feeling. [00:00:04 –> 00:00:05] I love, love. [00:00:05 –> 00:00:06] If love is just a feeling, [00:00:06 –> 00:00:08] then love is. [00:00:08 –> 00:00:09] Attraction. [00:00:09 –> 00:00:10] Love is [00:00:10 –> 00:00:10] emotion. [00:00:10 –> 00:00:14] whatever. Happy, joyful, awesome feelings, butterflies in my stomach, [00:00:14 –> 00:00:15] That’s love. [00:00:15 –> 00:00:16] And I should pursue it. [00:00:16 –> 00:00:17] Wrong. [00:00:17 –> 00:00:21] For Jesus, love is not a feeling. Love is a commandment [00:00:21 –> 00:00:24] That we will ourselves to love. [00:00:24 –> 00:00:25] I can feel [00:00:25 –> 00:00:28] like not being kind of a person I don’t like, [00:00:28 –> 00:00:31] but I can command myself to be kind to the person that I don’t like. [00:00:32 –> 00:00:33] So in my own priesthood, [00:00:33 –> 00:00:37] I get to command myself to love Jesus every single day [00:00:37 –> 00:00:40] and be exclusively his [00:00:40 –> 00:00:41] in a marriage, [00:00:41 –> 00:00:42] a man and a wife. [00:00:42 –> 00:00:43] command themselves [00:00:43 –> 00:00:45] to be able to choose each other, [00:00:45 –> 00:00:46] every single day, [00:00:46 –> 00:00:50] no matter what the feeling is, no matter what the attraction is, [00:00:50 –> 00:00:50] no matter what. [00:00:50 –> 00:00:51] The emotion is [00:00:51 –> 00:00:52] Excited, right? [00:00:52 –> 00:00:55] knowing that love is a choice. Knowing that love is a commandment [00:00:55 –> 00:00:56] and not a feeling. [00:00:56 –> 00:00:57] It’s your move. [00:00:57 –> 00:00:59] This is spirit. Choose peace.

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Key Takeaways

  • Love is more than a feeling. Feelings like attraction and joy are good, but they come and go, and they are not the whole of love.
  • For Jesus, love is a commandment. It is something we choose with our will, with the help of God’s grace.
  • We can choose to be kind to a person we do not like, even when we do not feel like it. That is a small picture of what love asks of us.
  • In the priesthood, Fr. Tim chooses each day to love Jesus and give himself fully to him.
  • In marriage, a husband and wife choose each other each day, whatever the feeling or attraction of the moment.
  • Knowing that love is a choice brings freedom and hope, because it means we can always make our next move.

What This Means for Prayer and Daily Life

Think about one person in your life who is hard to love right now. It could be someone at work, at school, or in your own family. You may not feel warm toward them, and that is okay. Love is not waiting for the feeling to show up first.

Choose one small, concrete act of love for that person this week. It could be a kind word, a patient answer, or a short prayer for them. Do it even if the feeling does not come.

If you are married, or preparing for marriage, remember that your love is renewed by daily choices. Feelings will rise and fall, and a promise made in love can carry you through the days when they do.

Whatever your vocation, bring your heart to Jesus and ask for his help. We do not do this on our own. His grace makes the choice possible.

A simple prayer for this week:

“Jesus, you love me, and you tell me to love as you have loved. When my feelings are not there, give me the grace to choose love anyway. Help me take my next step today.”

FAQ Section: Love, Feelings, and the Commandment to Love

No. Feelings like attraction and joy are part of life, and they can be good, but love is more than a feeling. For Jesus, love is something we choose with our will, and he commands us to do it.

Jesus calls us to love, and he asks us to choose it even when we do not feel like it. It is not a cold rule. It is an invitation to give ourselves to God and to others, with the help of his grace.

Feelings matter, and they can help us love. But they are not what holds love together. When feelings are strong, we can enjoy them. When they fade, love can still go on through our choices.

Fr. Tim gives a simple answer. You may not feel like being kind to someone, but you can still choose to be kind. Start with small, real acts, and ask God to help you.

Fr. Tim says that in his own priesthood he chooses each day to love Jesus and belong to him fully. A priest’s life is a daily yes, not a feeling that is always there.

Fr. Tim says a husband and wife choose each other every day, no matter what the feeling or attraction is in the moment. Their love is a daily choice, lived out in faithfulness.

Pick one person who is hard to love, and do one small, kind thing for them. Pray for them too. Ask Jesus to give you the grace to choose love even when the feeling is not there.

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