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Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And
though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to
feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave
itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a
child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith,
hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13 Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love. And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them.
And with a great voice he said: When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep,
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden. For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so he is for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their
clinging to the earth. Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast. All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the
secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart. But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and
pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears. Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love posseses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love. When you love you should not say, GOD IS IN MY HEART,
but rather, I AM IN THE HEART OF GOD.
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, it it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your
desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstacy; To return home at eventide with gratitude:
And then to sleep witn a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips. - Kahlil Gibran, THE PROPHET Love cannot remain by itself - it has no meaning.
Love has to be put into action
and that action is service.
How do we put the love of God in action?
By being faithful to our family
to do the duties that God has entrusted to us. Whatever form we are
able or disabled
rich or poor
it is not how much we do
but how much love we put in the doing -
a lifelong sharing of love with others. - Mother Theresa, WORDS TO LOVE BY After all is said and done
the proof of our adoption as God's children is love. This begins with our acceptance of God's love
as it is revealed and granted to us
through Jesus Christ. It is further revealed and extended through
our love for one another. This is what the God-life is all about. Apart from God there is no real love;
apart from love God is not real in us
and is not able to work through us. If we assume we can continue to bask in God's love
even while we harbor hateful or unloving thoughts
about a brother or sister,
we are deceiving ourselves. God's love is perfect - and He loves perfectly.
This is the manner in which He loves us. Not only should this free us from the fears
that plague our world, but free us to love
our fellow persons without concern for consequences. This is our assignment in our world today,
to be, as was Christ in His visible visitation,
love incarnate in a love-starved society.
Let us begin by genuinely loving one another. - 1 John 4 (Leslie F.Brandt, EPISTLES NOW) Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endures forever. - Moroni 7 |
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