Wednesday, September 20, 2006
> >St. Andrew Kim Taegon,
St. Paul Chong Hasang,
& the Korean Martyrs
love is a four-letter word
"Love is patient; love is kind." —1 Corinthians 13:4
God is love (1 Jn 4:16). Without love, we gain nothing (1 Cor 13:3). They'll know we are Christians by our love (Jn 13:35). Love is the essence of the Christian life. Love is an action more than a quality or condition. One translation of 1 Corinthians 13 is: "Love does patient things. Love does the kind thing," etc. Love is not modified by an adjective but expressed by a verb. Furthermore, love does three things and does not do eight things. First, love does patient and kind things. A more exact translation would be: "Love suffers for a long time and removes others' burden."
Love here is not so much feeling good but suffering. It is not self-centered but other-centered. The theme of selflessness is further expressed in the eight things that love does not do. The climax of the passage is: "Love rejoices in the truth." Love is not here related to feelings or sex but to joy and truth. When God speaks of love, He means something much different than we mean. Let us learn of love from God Who is Love (1 Jn 4:16).
Prayer: Jesus, give me divine love, unconditional love, Your love.
Promise: "God's wisdom is vindicated by all who accept it." —Lk 7:35
Praise: St. Andrew exhorted his fellow martyrs: "We have received Baptism, entrance into the Church, and the honor of being called Christians. Yet what good will this do to us if we are Christians in name only and not in fact?"
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape Love on audio AV 58-1 or video V-58.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 26, 2006
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