From chapter IV of The Love of God in Practice - by At. Alphonsus Liguori All our care and efforts are to grow in the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Those, who are experts in spiritual things, tell us what the signs of true love are: True love is always accompanied with a certain amount of fear: it fears only one thing, and that is to give any displeasure to God. True love is generous: it is not afraid to undertake any work, however great, if it be for the glory of God; for it’s trust is placed in Him. True love is valiant and strong; it can conquer any inclination to wickedness; its victory extends over the most violent temptations, desolation, and darkness. True love is obedient and ready in all things to follow the voice of God. True love is pure: because it loves God alone, and alone it merits to be loved by Him. True love is ardent: because it wants to kindle a fire in everybody else, and to see them consumed with divine love. True love inebriates: it puts the soul in such a state that it loses consciousness of all external things; so that it sees nothing; it feels nothing; it seems to be no longer affected by the things of earth, wholly occupied in loving God alone. True love unites: it brings the will of the creature into very close union with the will of the Creator. True love is a love of desire: because it seizes the soul with an intense longing to leave this earth, and to fly upwards to where it will become perfectly united with God in its own blessed homeland where it will love Him with all it powers. Now, there is nobody who teaches us all the characteristics of true love as well as that great preacher of charity, St. Paul. In the thirteenth chapter of his First Letter to the Corinthians, he tells us, first of all, that the man who is without love is nothing. I may give away all that I possess to feed the poor, I may even give my body to be burned, but, if I have no love, what good will it do me?” So you may have sufficient faith to move the mountains, as St. Gregory Thaumaturgus did, but if you have no love, this wold be quite useless to you. You should hand out all the goods you have to the poor, and willingly suffer martyrdom itself; but without love_ that is, if you were to do it then any other motive than to please God _ it would get you nowhere. Then St. Paul gives the characteristics of true love and, in doing this, he at the same time teaches us how to practise those other virtues which are the offspring of true love. He continues: Love is patient, is kid, and does no wrong; is not conceited, or ambitious; it is not selfish nor quick to take offence, it thinks no evil; it does not rejoice in the presence of wickedness; but it takes delight in the truth. It is ready to suffer every thing; here is no limit to its faith, and its hope, and it’s endurance. .......................... |
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January 2024
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