# United in Love – Reflections for Tuesday of Holy Week
*2016-03-22*

> Bill Young reflects on the Gospel call to bear one another’s burdens, the unity of love in the Church, and the martyrdom of St. Nicholas of England, while praying for the victims of the recent attacks in Belgium.

## Opening Prayer for Belgium

We begin by praying for our brothers and sisters in Belgium, where a terrorist attack claimed twenty lives. May God grant comfort to the families and the souls of the departed, and may the love of Christ replace hatred and violence.

## Scripture Reflection: Bearing One Another’s Burdens

Today's Gospel invites us to “bear one another’s burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). The Holy Spirit places this love in our hearts so that we may not grow weary in doing what is right (Galatians 6:9). True Christian love is not selfish; it fills the emptiness of self‑interest with solidarity. When we share in the joys and sorrows of our brothers and sisters, we experience a deeper communion that makes their pain our own.

## Living the Unity of Love in the Church

The Church’s communion is built on charity that seeks the good of the whole, not merely personal gain. By carrying the weight of the poorest and the weakest, we embody the fraternity of solidarity that the Church calls us to. This love is more than a polite gesture; it is a profound participation in the joys and sufferings of others, enabling us to enter fully into their lives.

## Saint Nicholas of England – A Model of Courageous Love

Today we also remember St. Nicholas of England, a 17th‑century Catholic who hid persecuted Christians during a time of severe anti‑Catholic oppression. Captured twice and tortured, he never revealed the names of those he protected. In 1606 he was martyred for his steadfast love and fidelity to the Church.

## Prayer for Personal Conversion

Jesus, help me to show love to others in every word and action, even the smallest. May the Holy Spirit renew my heart so that I, too, can bear the burdens of those around me and live out the unity that Christ commands.

*When we let Christ’s love fill the emptiness of selfishness, we become true bearers of one another’s burdens.*