March 7, 2015

“Intense love does not measure, it just gives.” Mother Teresa

“Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defense, and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in love can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him, protects him, and brings him to his journey’s end. Christ made love the stairway…hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it… ” Fulgentius of Ruspe (468 – 533) “For All The Saints” volume III

It is hard to love unconditionally. If it was not hard, G*d wouldn’t have needed to command us to love the Lord with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. Love is one of the things that we can control – or so we think. If love is an action, then we can parse out our love little bits at a time – to whom we want.

Sergei Fudel (1901 – 1977) puts it this way:

“Sin…is “remembering oneself” and forgetting others. Therefore all sins are, in a greater or lesser degree, a renunciation of love, a greater or lesser pride and conceit. Instead of giving ourselves to others, caring for them and being concerned for them, I remain absorbed in myself. When I am at prayer, does it not happen that I really address myself? I assert myself, my own selfness, my ego, instead of the non-ego, instead of G*d and other people, instead of love. …love is all that leads us to G*d. Love defeats pride, destroys selfishness and lust, both bodily and spiritually.” “For All The Saints”, volume III

So love of G*d is to drive us to love our neighbor – unconditionally. But that opens us up to lots of things, in particular to have our love rejected and or abused. Matthew 24:12 says “because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold”. So we learn to parse out our love by the teaspoon, so that we protect ourselves from being taken advantage of. And in many cases, I have to be careful that my love and gestures of love for others is not done with a cold heart, thinking that since I often feel taken advantage of, that a teaspoon of love is better than nothing. Well, a teaspoon of sugar may make the medicine go down easier, but a teaspoon of love may make me feel better, but does nothing for those choked by fear, disaster, drug addiction, and the like.

Think about it. “Love is patient, love is kind, love does not judge or insist on being right.” Paul is talking about Agape love – love of and for G*d – not brotherly and sisterly love. But, when we realize that G*d loves us unconditionally, well, instead of teaspoons of love, we might find a way to share our love, first by the tablespoon, and then bucket fulls.

Pastor Dave