The Virtue Series: Love Part 1

THE VIRTUE SERIES LOVE PART 1

Love seems to be a very difficult word to define since we see everyday examples of both real love and false love. When we examine the difference between real and false love, real love is:

• a sacrificial gift of self.
• an offering of your time, talents and body to what is true, good and beautiful-namely God.

 The characteristics of real love are outlined in 1 Corinthians 13.  When we read this passage of Scripture, it is often a good idea to insert one's own name:

e.g. 'Love is patient' and Kind becomes. Jane/Bob/Sue//Tom  is patient and kind.

In this way, we can identity which aspects of love are stronger in us and which need further prayer and work.

False love however is distinctly different from true love since false love is selfish and self-serving.

The virtue of love therefore is the crown of all the others, as all the virtues flow from love and back to love. Love, also known as charity, is the beginning and end of the practice of virtue.

Let us now look to see God's explanation from scripture of this eminent virtue to see what love is.

• John 3:16 God loved us completely to send His only beloved Son to save us and bring us to Himself.
• Romans 5-8: While we were sinners, Christ died for us. He sacrificed His life for us when were sere seemingly unlovable.
• 1 John 4:16-19 God has shown love by first loving us unconditionally since God is love.

 True love is impossible without the grace of God.  love, as God defines it is difficult for us who are still prone to sin and selfishness and have yet to be perfected in love. This is why we need the grace of this virtue to love as He loves.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1822) defines the virtue of love as follows:

'Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbour as ourselves for the love of God'.  This is an important definition as it provides the impetus and goal for our love. We are not going to love just for its own sake or even for selfish reasons. No, we are to love out of love for God.

In the scriptures, Jesus gives us the commandment to love which involves loving Him with our whole heart, mind and strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves.  

In next week's post, we will continue on the journey of exploration and see what loving God, loving our neighbour and loving ourselves entails.

However, let us not wait until next week's post to start afresh to love.  Let us pray for an increase in this virtue and review our lives, so that we can pinpoint the areas of our lives in which this virtue is urgently required.

May our 'God of love' be with us during this coming week, as we live out of love for God in our lives.