Try Love

20 Aug

“Love cures people — both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.”
Karl A. Menninger

The “Doctor of Love”, St. Paul, often spoke about that great theological virtue.  In his letter to the Colossians, he wrote about how the early Christians should act, how they should live their lives.  He wrote about great theological virtues and then declared, “Over all of these put on love” because love was what bound all the other virtues together.  St. Paul knew that, with love, Christians were unstoppable.

Love is one of those words and concepts that often gets talked about.  Love has been defined in so many different ways that it is hard to understand what some people mean when they use the word.  For some, love is merely a tool to get their own way.  For others, love has become a feeling.  For still others, love is something totally altruistic and unattainable.

For Christians, love is — or should be — a daily ingredient.  Love always looks out for the good of the other.  Operating out of love, the Christian should always desire what is best for another person.  Therefore, the Christian will do and say what is in the other’s best interest.

When I mention “best interest”, by the way, we have to be clear about what that phrase means.  We do not judge by the best interest of the world; i.e., what could make the most money for another, what could make someone most popular, et cetera; no, we judge by what is best for the soul.  We have to keep our eyes fixed not on this world and its temporal rewards but on God and His eternal rewards.

Therefore, as Dr. Menninger indicated in today’s quote, whenever a person operates purely out of love, two people are touched by it: the one who loves and the one who is loved.  Love can cure a host of ills.  Love can brace a wounded soul.  Love can give courage to one who is weak.  Love is that theological virtue that ranks over all the others, binding them, and making them ever more powerful.

St. Paul would be disappointed if I did not end today’s reflection with his words:  Love never fails.

FAITH ACTION:  Let all that you do and say today be done purely out of love.