The gospel question is from the Tina Turner song: In your last decision you made, What's love got to do with it?

The last two weddings that I've had the privilege to perform have had interesting stories connected to the bride and groom. Last night - the two of them met at work. Unfortunately, the groom's father was the boss and he did not approve of 'office dating'. So after a few months of flirting, the bride decided to leave the company so they could pursue the relationship. A pretty bold move, especially given the iffy nature of dating relationships. The one before that involved, the bride to be decided not to move back to Connecticut where all her family and friends lived so that what was a very beginning of a friendship might have a chance. The groom changed two of his medical rotations as an internship, so that he could stay in St. Louis for the same reason... It's an amazing witness to this priest - about what love does and about what love demands of those who are in love.

Luke's gospel has been alternating between the demands of the gospel and the experience of God's consolation. What will it cost to be a follower and what can you expect from it. Today we hear again of the need for calculation and commitment as we follow Jesus. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem where he knows he will die. So he turns to those following - perhaps the curious, those swept up by emotion, those following hoping for personal gain and bids them to look at what it will cost them to be his follower. The taking up of their cross, the willingness to treasure the friendship with Jesus above that of family and friends. What are you willing to give up for love? What are you willing to bear because of love?

Pedro Arrupe, the former superior of the Jesuit order says this about this kind of love.

Nothing is more practical than finding God. That is, than falling in love in a quite absolute way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination
will affect everything.
It will decide what will
get you out of bed in the morning,
what you will do with your evenings,
how you will spend your weekends,
what you read,
what you know that breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.

It is what my couples have taught me again. It is what Jesus invites us to consider this weekend - what does it mean for us to fall in love with love itself? And what does it ask of me? What will it ask of my mornings and evenings, of my life choices, of my career and job? That is the invitation that Jesus puts before today: Will you let love decide everything?

During the thanksgiving time of mass, we are going to hear from 5 people who have let 'love decide what they do with their mornings and evenings' - folks who are connected with serving God's people in this neighborhood - as they lay before us some concrete service opportunities. Like the two stories - I invite you to calculate - to ponder - can I give myself to this service? Can I pour myself out in love to the people whom they serve. Then they will be available in the back of church to answer specific questions about how you might be connected...

Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything...