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Gospel: Mark 16: 15-20
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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In the Gospel, Jesus promises to give us the power to speak new languages. But out of the 6,500 languages spoken on this planet, there is one we all must speak:
Love.
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Love is what drives out the demon of hatred; the demons of pride and prejudice; the demons of jealousy, envy and greed.
As it’s written elsewhere, “Love covers a multitude of sins.”
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Some say there are five primary ways we speak the language of love:
Words of affirmation; acts of service; offering gifts; spending quality time with others; and through physical touch.
How do I show my love for others?
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Maybe I prepare a home cooked meal for my family each night; an act of service.
Maybe I insist on telling my family I love them before ending a phone call; words of affirmation.
Maybe I show my love by offering a hug. Or I find delight in finding the perfect gift.
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In whatever way you show love for other people, find a way to do so today.
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Image credits: (1) gurmentor.com, Encore!!! (2) ThoughtCo (3) iStock