If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing symbol ... 1 Corinthians 13:1

Those familiar words of St. Paul should always remind us to pour out more of our love to our listeners when we deliver God's Word. A love for God, of course; but also a love to those to whom we read. And the more of this love we project, the more attention and love we receive back from our listeners in return.

How beautiful it can be to wash the feet of our fellow parishioners through God's Word, with the same kind of love Jesus showed when he actually did wash the feet of His apostles at the Last Supper.

Perhaps we all could work more on developing this ability to proclaim with love as Paul does in his greeting in 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 (First Sunday of Advent, B). Check it out. Try to put yourself in Paul's circumstances and project a similar heartfelt love to your listeners as he did to those challenged Corinthians in his time.

Love penetrates - - deeper than any special platform skills or techniques.
 
In his philosophy for business success, The Strategy of Preeminence, well known marketing expert Jay Abraham says, "If you can't fall in love with your clients, you don't belong in the business you're in."

"Fall in love" by being so caring, passionate and desirous for their success in all aspects of their lives that it becomes your primary purpose for being in the business you're in.

What about "our business" as proclaimers of God's word? Are we in love with our listeners?

Abraham notes, "When I look at an audience, I don’t see people who've been burned and have become bitter. I see a bunch of little innocent children at the beginning process of their lives, with a lot of trust, with innocence and a sense of curiosity and discovery. And if you can look at your clients that way, it gives you an incredible context of nurturous appreciation for them."

So what do we see when we look at our listeners? If we view them with a similar attitude as Mr. Abraham's; with a lot of trust, innocence and a sense of curiosity and discovery for God's word, we too can acquire that nurturous and respectful attitude toward them.

And the more we do this, the more they'll begin to look at us with trust and confidence, and the more we'll be inspired to proclaim God's word better and better for them going forward.

St. Paul had it right. The Beatles had it right. And Jay had it right. All you need is love.