Our love of God is perfect when we love Him above all things for His own sake. We love God above all things when we would rather lose life, property, friends, and all things else, rather than offend Him; when we are ready to do anything in order to resemble Him, to give Him pleasure.

    "He who loves father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me" (Matt. 10:37). God permits us to love creatures, urges us to love our fellowmen; but such love must be only for God's sake, subject to the love of God. God wishes us to love Him in His creatures, not the creatures for their own sakes. He will not take second place in our affections. "I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous" (Exodus 20:5). He will not permit us to love anything which detracts one whit from our complete love of Him.

    We love God for His own sake when we love Him for His infinite perfection. We love God for His own sake when we love Him because He is the highest good and most worthy of love.

    Our love of God is not perfect when we love Him only because He gives us gifts, or threatens us with punishment, or promises us Heaven. Nevertheless, imperfect love of God is often the beginning of perfect love. Little by little perfect love develops from it.

    We prove our love of God by obedience to His Commandments. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). We show our love more by deeds than by words. St. John says: "My dear children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue, but in deed" (1 John 3:18).

    The love of God is not a mere delight in thinking of Him; it consists rather of an act of the will, to live a godly life on account of that love. However, the love of God also makes us speak and think of Him frequently, since it is a human trait to do so regarding the object of affection. One who loves God is united with Him at every moment in every fiber of his being: in thought, word, and deed. "Where thy treasure is, there thy heart also will be" (Matthew 6:21).

    We show greater love, when we not only avoid what God forbids, but do what will give Him pleasure. Thus God does not command us to go to Mass every day, but if we do so, He is pleased by this mark of our love.

    We increase our love of God by loving Him. "Practice makes perfect." The more we love Him, the more we can love Him. Every piece of good work we do makes us grow in God's love. We show our love of God by accepting all that comes from His hand. One who habitually murmurs at all inconveniences, sickness, misfortune, etc. does not possess Christian love of God, Who never promised us deliverance from all earthly ills.

Next Issue: Love of Self part one

July 10-11, 2000
volume 11, no. 119
APPRECIATION OF THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH series

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