The Healing Power of Love

Last year, I had the opportunity to see Ringo Starr and his All-Starr band in concert in Austin.  

At one point in the show, Ringo led the entire band in a rousing rendition of the Beatles classic "All You Need Is Love," while the enthusiastic crowd sang along.  

As I watched (and sang), Ringo walked back and forth at the front of the stage, flashing the peace sign to the crowd, most of whom responded by flashing it back to him. 

It was a sweet moment, one that I will remember forever - my first and perhaps only chance to see one of the Beatles perform live.  

But I couldn't help but think that even the sweetness of that moment and the beautiful expression of that classic song seemed a bit antiquated and idealistic, considering the state of things in our country and around the world.  

In a world fraught with division, misunderstanding, and often outright hostility, it can feel overwhelming to imagine a path toward unity and healing. 

Yet, at the heart of that path lies a profound truth: love is our most unifying and empowering common spiritual denominator. 

As poet Aberjhani reminds us: 

“Love is our most unifying and empowering common spiritual denominator. The more we ignore its potential to bring greater balance and deeper meaning to human existence, the more likely we are to continue to define history as one long inglorious record of man’s inhumanity to man.” 

This powerful quote calls us to reflect on the vital role love plays in transforming not just individual lives but the fabric of our entire human experience. 

When we dismiss or overlook love’s potential, we allow division, anger, and pain to fester. But when we choose love—genuine, selfless love—we embrace a force capable of healing wounds and building bridges where walls once stood.

The love Jesus exemplified and embodied is the ultimate illustration of this truth. Jesus’ life and teachings consistently pointed to love as the foundation for human relationships—love that forgives, that reaches out to the marginalized, that sacrifices for the good of others. 

In John 13:34-35, Jesus commands us: 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

This calling challenges us to mirror the love Jesus demonstrated—a love that heals, restores, and unites.

Love, as shown through Christ’s example, is not merely an emotion but a deliberate act of kindness, sacrifice, and humility. It is the divine gift from God that breaks down barriers and restores broken relationships. 

When we open our hearts to receive this love, it begins to heal our own wounds—those scars of rejection, bitterness, or despair—and fills us with the strength to extend that healing to others.

Receiving God's love is the first step. It’s an invitation to recognize that we are cherished beyond measure and that our wounds can be mended through His grace. 

From that place of healing, we are empowered to share love generously, both at work and in our families and communities. Each act of love, no matter how small, contributes to a ripple of transformation.

Imagine the change we can effect if each of us commits to receiving God’s love and allowing it to flow through us into the world. In doing so, we become agents of healing in our own little corner of the universe—replacing division with understanding, hate with compassion, and wounds with grace.

Let’s choose love today, first as a gift from God for our own healing, and then as a gift we freely give to others. In that love, we find the power to heal the divisions within us and in our world, creating a more just, compassionate, and unified human family.

Because in the end, all we really need... is love.  

May it be so, and may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, now and forever. Amen.