Once upon a time a young woman gave birth to her first child, a beautiful baby boy, just one month after her husband had died in a tragic accident. The neighbors were all very concerned for the mother and child, and held a baby shower, bringing a variety of practical and valuable gifts: a used baby crib, toys, clothes, and a large quantity of food. After opening all the gifts, the young motherโbrushing back her tearsโsaid, โThank you all so much. Youโve made a very difficult time a little easier,โ and then she announced, โMy son will be baptized next Sunday, and Iโve decided to name him Victor, after his father.โ After all the guests had gone, there was one more knock at the door; it turned out to be the strange old man who lived alone at the end of the street. Everyone called him Doc Burns, even though he wasnโt a doctor, and since he kept to himself, few people had ever talked to him. The mysterious visitor said in a soft voice, โIโve come to give you my gift for your sonโa gift very different from the others youโve received. Iโve come to grant you one wish for your sonโanything at allโbut you must make the wish before your son is baptized on Sunday. I promise you, I do have the power to grant your wish.โ The mother wasnโt sure what to ask for, and she thought about it all week; finally, a moment before he was baptized, she whispered in her babyโs ear, โI wish that everyone in the world will love my Victor.โ
The wish magically came true, just as Doc Burns had promised; Victor was so cute and lovable that everyone doted on him; people couldnโt resist hugging and touching him and giving him gifts. When Victor misbehaved, no one could really believe he was being naughty, and when his mother tried to correct him, all the adults told her she was being much too harsh and unfair. It wasnโt long before Victor was completely spoiled, and he was soon acting pridefully and treating almost everyone with scorn and contemptโexcept for Doc Burns; for some reason, he respected the old man, who was the only one who could reprimand the boy without making him sullen or upset. As a young man, Victor lived life in the fast laneโflaunting his expensive clothes that had been given to him by friends and even strangers, drinking, partying, and giving himself over completely to a life of pleasure and self-indulgence . . . until he finally admitted to himself that he hated every minute of it.
He was ashamed of how he had treated others and he was disgusted with himself and his empty and meaningless life, so he mixed a powerful poison with a glass of wine.
At that moment Doc Burns rushed into Victorโs room and knocked the glass from his hand, and then explained that he was responsible for Victorโs misery, as he had granted his motherโs wish many years ago. โI fulfilled your motherโs wish on the day of your baptism,โ he said, โeven though it was a foolish oneโbut suppose I offer you a new wish? Make it anything you want, but be careful, Victorโwishes have a way of coming true.โ Victor answered sadly, โI donโt think you can give me anything I havenโt already had.โ โThink again, my son,โ said Doc Burns. โWhat is it that you need to be happy?โ Victor thought about this very intently, and after several minutes he said, with tears in his eyes, โPlease take away the old magic and give me a new wish. Instead of being loved, I ask for the ability to love everyone in the world.โ โExcellent!โ Doc Burns exclaimed as he embraced the sobbing young man. โYour wish is granted. Now things will go better for you.โ
At first things were very rough for Victor; without his great charm, he lost most of his friends, some people started taking revenge on him for the sins he had committed against them, and when he was even thrown in jail for three months, no one cared or came to visit him. After being released, he was sick, lonely, and pennilessโbut thinking of someone other than himself for a change, he returned home to care for his ailing mother. For the first time Victor was truly able to return her love, without seeking anything for himself, and after his mother recovered, he took a job as a janitor in a nearby school. He worked hard, but more importantly, he opened his heart to everyone he met, especially the students, and soon everyone loved himโnot because of any magic, but because he had become a very loving and giving person. Victor met a young widow with two children, married her, and became the husband and father they so greatly needed. For the rest of his life, Victor was poor in money, but rich in the things that matteredโfor he had discovered that itโs our choice to love others that gives life its deepest meaning (White,ย Stories for Telling, p. 37).
Itโs important for us to note that Jesus (John 13:31-33, 34-35) did not say to the apostles, โI give you a new commandment: make yourself lovable,โ nor did He say, โThis is how all will know that you are My disciples, if everyone loves and admires you.โ We are not meant to spend our lives trying to make everyone love us; thatโs a case of putting the cart before the horse. No, we are supposed to devote ourselves to loving others, even at the risk of being misunderstood or rejectedโfor thatโs how we follow in Our Lordโs footsteps, thatโs how we make ourselves loving persons, and thatโs how we find the secret of a happy life.
Of all the people present in the upper room on the evening of Holy Thursday, only Judas had an unloving heartโand this led him not only to commit a terrible sin of betrayal, but later to hang himself in despair. Refusing to love ultimately ruins everythingโbut humbly opening our hearts to Godโs love, and doing our best to share this love with others, leads to eternal happiness. The Book of Revelation (21:1-5) describes the joy of Heaven, where God wipes away every tear, freeing His people from pain and death, while making all things new. This is what our hearts yearn for, and choosing to love God and our neighbor makes this blessed destiny possible. Itโs not always easy to follow the way of love as a disciple of Jesus; as Saints Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:21-27) warned their converts, โIt is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.โ Choosing to love makes us vulnerable to rejectionโbut such a choice is always worth the risk, for it conforms us more closely to Christ and increases our capacity for eternal happiness.
When Victor finally learned the importance of genuinely loving others, he also discovered the secret of true happiness. This is the most important lesson any of us can ever learn. By choosing to love others in Christโs Name, we are also choosing to be eternally happyโand in the end, this is the only measure of success that truly matters.