Did you see the article by Carmelo Musca in the TV magazine last week concerning his visit to his grandmother in Sicily, and his delight with the advice that this 87 year old lady offered him? She said to her grandson, "LOVE WITHOUT STRENGTH, WITHOUT BACKBONE, WITHOUT FORCE, HAS NO VALIDITY".

I thought how privileged he was to have such wisdom passed on to him, because it is SPOT ON, SPOT ON. This is about that side of love which has to do with WILL, so crucial to the continuity and commitment which are part of real love, and without which the other elements of passion, or charm, or sentiment, become so easily unbalanced, and so easily topple.

The first reading this morning, concerning Peter's visit to Cornelius, is a classic example of this strong forceful love in action, showing its true colours, exercising its backbone.
Here we have the initial deliberate meeting of two cultures - two faiths. It was set up by God. But it took backbone and obedience on the part of two very different individuals to make it work.

Let's take a closer look:
FIRST, there's Cornelius. He is not only a Roman soldier, he is a centurion, or captain in charge of 100 men. A person of authority and some measure of power.

But we are clearly told earlier in the story (10.2) that 'he and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need, and he prayed to God regularly". There is something in the make-up of this man that keeps him from over-estimating himself …he knows that there is a God, and does all that he knows how to draw close, and obey that God. He is a man who is spiritually aware, and wants to "know the way".

God is at work in his heart, drawing Cornelius closer and closer as he obediently responds to each new insight. Until the moment when the Lord reveals Himself. Iin Cornelius' own words:
"Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said "Cornelius, God has heard your prayer 'and remembered your gifts to the poor", then proceeds to give him instructions.

The obedience factor then becomes crucial. . I wonder if it was difficult to actually send the men off to Joppa to find this Simon, called Peter. I wonder if this soldier thought to himself "It must have been a dream," or "What a ridiculous idea, what is the matter with me!" or "I can't send my men ""trooping off to Joppa!" Or whatever. Or did he just think: "What an honour, God has a job for me to do!
We don't know what he THOUGHT, or FELT, but we do know what he DID.…. Because he was obedient, He did exactly what he had been instructed.

It took the men four days to make the journey to Joppa and back, including the time spent with Peter. And knowing about how long it would be, Cornelius acted again on his faith and assembled his relatives and close friends so that they were all there at his place when Peter arrived. He did not doubt that if he obeyed what God had shown him, God would fulfil his side of the bargain and Peter would come. Such trust is part of love.

THEN THERE IS PETER. He is entirely another kettle of fish. How is his love for God evidenced here? Remember Peter is a life-long Jew, born and bred in the Jewish faith and tradition. He is one of the Chosen People. As he says, "It is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile, or visit him."

But God deals with that deep-seated sense of separation by means of a trance, or dream-like experience, taking him into the sub-conscious levels of his being to show him that God's time has come to change all that, not just on the surface (which would be hard enough) but in the innermost part of his self. That the time has come for Jews to realise that GOD WILL WORK with whoever he chooses, and the Jewish followers of Jesus need to cooperate in this process. Not an easy lesson for Peter to learn.

But Peter has already learned so much. …- By now he has lived through the years with Jesus in ministry, through the bitterness of letting the Lord down himself, through the agony of seeing Him crucified, through the astonishment of finding the empty tomb, and meeting the risen Jesus. He has come to the place of obeying, even when he can not comprehend, (a very important milestone for anyone!)
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So when the men arrive from Cornelius he is ready to receive them, and to go with them. God has prepared him. His love for his Lord is ready to take risks, do things that are unusual, even unheard of, even walk into the home of a leader of the occupying army, if that is what God tells him to do. Obedience.

And such wisdom he shows when he arrives, and is ushered into this gathering at Cornelius' house. He does not start teaching them from a Jewish perspective, but starts right where THEY are "at". His first words are:" I NOW REALISE HOW TRUE IT IS THAT GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVOURITISM BUT ACCEPTS MEN AND WOMEN FROM EVERY NATION; WHO FEAR HIM AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT". Then straight in to the story of Jesus - his life, his deeds, his death, his resurrection, the forgiveness He brings. Nothing is missed.

I am so thankful that Jesus told his disciples to 'obey his commands' if they were really serious about loving Him. Otherwise I, for one, as a Gentile, I would never have the opportunity to become a Follower of His. Such a thought is almost impossible to grasp, isn't it!

Remember these things as you think about His words. to you, to me, to all of us, when he says:

"If you obey my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in His love". AMEN.

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