Pondering LOVE #2
Why is Love the greatest?
Many of us wonder what God wants of us individually and he tells us in two very clear Scripture verses:
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31
Both of these “greatest” statements are about LOVE, said by Jesus, personally to you! Is it clear he wants you to work on your love? Love is first, all other virtues and deeds come from a heart of love. When you learn to love Jesus and love like him, literally your heart grows. Your capacity to love selflessly, sacrificially, and purely grows. His Holy Spirit begins to animate your loves! Little by little, you learn to love better! Love is eternal! It lasts forever, all the way into Heaven! Doesn’t that sound wonderful? A little pollyannaish maybe, but gee, our world could stand a lot more authentic love. Love well – especially the people God puts directly in your path each day! Grace will be by your side.
Inspired by:
1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never ends.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:8 God is love.
St. Teresa of Avila “…for as you know, anyone who fails to go forward begins to go back, and love, I believe, can never be content to stay long where it is.” Interior Castle pg. 234
St. Teresa of Avila “…the Lord does not look so much at the magnitude of anything we do as at the LOVE with which we do it. If we accomplish what we can, His Majesty will see to it that we come able to do more each day.” Interior Castle pg. 238
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta “We cannot all do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”