Do you choose LOVE in all that you do?

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I try, but often fail due to very subtle elements of pride or other hedonistic pleasure – I’m definitely still a sinner!

LOVE! ❤️
 
Robert_Sock said:
I try, but often fail due to very subtle elements of pride or other hedonistic pleasure – I’m definitely still a sinner!

LOVE! ❤️
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No…I, like probably most of us, have difficulty achieving that level of love.

It´s very hard to achieve perfection, but in the meantime, we can at least strive for excellence!
 
At a young age, and by the example of my parents and reinforced by Catechism, I made a choice to do everything with love, everything for Jesus. This was quite simple to do as we were all on the same page. We each wanted the best for the other. Any squabble was quickly resolved because that is what God wanted us to do. Then came the real world and its many challenges. Not so simple. I still believe it is a choice to put love in all you do. You have to desire to do this. Power struggles and indifferences defeat the joy that God wants us to have in our hearts. I believe Mother Teresa had love in all she did. I get up every morning and try again.
 
I too have that problem and do not always love fully. St Therese help me through this.

Our All-Holy, Immaculate, Most Blessed and Glorified Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Saint Mary pray for us!
 
I try - but so often fail…
May God have mercy on me…

Peace
James
 
I strongly desire to LOVE perfectly, especially LOVE God, but my failures often appear to me to be made in reflex or the lack of a focused attention. I can stomp my feet in frustration, but that too would be sinful (anger). As Saint Paul makes clear: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Oh, how I wish that would have become a Carthusian monk.

LOVE! ❤️
 
Yes, I do! But no, I fail…honestly, I probably fail even more than I realize because pride so often comes disguise as “for their own good”. Sometimes, I get so overwhelmed that I KNOW my love is waning and yet I continue in my own sin and stumbling. But, I try to remember to do an act of contrition each night and this helps. And I try to accept my failures instead of hating myself for them (lack of love, right 😉 ) and to remember that it is in the struggle that we grow.
 
I choose love in every single action, and in every single word…

…love of myself, that is!

I do not love anybody but myself. Hopefully God will help me to destroy that evil thing.
 
meltzerboy said:
I also try and often fail, more, I think, by omission than commission.
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I like the distinction you make here. I am good at following the “do not’s” steal, lie,harm people. It is much harder to do the D
‘Do’s’ as in making things better to really help and lift people up.
Good stuff.
 
petitfleur said:
I like the distinction you make here. I am good at following the “do not’s” steal, lie,harm people. It is much harder to do the D
‘Do’s’ as in making things better to really help and lift people up.
Good stuff.
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The Talmud (Oral Law) teaches that there are 613 commandments in the Torah (Written Law): 248 positive commandments (the do’s) and 365 negative commandments (the don’ts). Although in modern society, many commandments can no longer be applied, there are still over 100 positive and over 200 negative commandments. Even though many of us are attentive to the negative ones (insofar as we are aware of what they are), I think we too often don’t pay enough attention to the positive ones and come up with rationalizations for not practicing them as best we can in our everyday lives.
 
I don’t know about choosing ‘love’ but I certainly choose to love what I do (whatever it may be). 🙂 Otherwise, I’d never get anything done. 🤷
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
I don’t know about choosing ‘love’ but I certainly choose to love what I do (whatever it may be). 🙂 Otherwise, I’d never get anything done. 🤷
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I have been working on that same thing. Why is it that when I’m working on homework, for example, I can be fascinated with the material but still get distracted and put it off for other activities that aren’t even that interesting. I’ve had to recognize that I can “love” doing the things “I want done” just as much as the things “I’d like to do.” 🙂

MS
 
I try…but find it hard at work…I mean, I lose my head and get tied by everything…when I pray I feel so dry and far away from God…Im really wondering if this being far-off is a sign that I must move on and pursue religious vocation. I beg God always for the grace of love in my work, but nothing really sparks within me…I’m not inlove with my work…
 
Robert_Sock said:
I try, but often fail due to very subtle elements of pride or other hedonistic pleasure – I’m definitely still a sinner!

LOVE! ❤️
Click to expand...
How do you define ALL that you do?

What about watching a movie, or playing a sport, or reading a book?
 
thistle said:
How do you define ALL that you do?

What about watching a movie, or playing a sport, or reading a book?
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I think these things can be done with love.

If I’m doing something physical it grounds me and connects me to the creation; this gives me chance to reflect on the His majesty and generosity in giving us this wonderful life. For that matter, it can be something imaginary and not physical …

If I’m watching a movie, I can admire the dedication and hard work of the actors and all who went into bringing me this story. Whatever the contents of the story, I can use them to reflect on different elements of the way God’s children think and act, so that I may have better empathy for others in many situations I may or may not ever come across IRL and appreciate the diversity of people and their stories.

Reading a book? If I learn something I thank the Lord for one more tool that may become useful in doing works of mercy or things that I just enjoy or need to do to support my family or whatever.

If the book is fiction, same way as with the movie. If we are not learning “actual” information, then we are witnessing “artistic expression” of other members of the human family. All of which is based on God’s creation, facilitation, and inspiration of our world.
 
thistle said:
How do you define ALL that you do?

What about watching a movie, or playing a sport, or reading a book?
Click to expand...
Is what you’re doing glorifying God or enhancing your love of your neighbor? If not, it’s vain glory. It’s tough, but I’m beginning to gravitate towards it. I no longer compare myself to the sinful secular society where I’m inclined to think myself as righteous, but I now compare myself to the Carthusians which causes me to think of myself as being lukewarm at best. Not that everything in the secular world is vanity, like watching a relatively vain comedy to promote a sense of family would be LOVE, but watching it for pure entertainment is vanity. Sports ought to be done out of love of neighbor or needed exercise for your service of God; to feel a sense of competition, on the other hand, is also vanity.

BEWARE VAIN AND WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE

MY CHILD, do not let the fine-sounding and subtle words of men deceive you. For the kingdom of heaven consists not in talk but in virtue. Attend, rather, to My words which enkindle the heart and enlighten the mind, which excite contrition and abound in manifold consolations. Never read them for the purpose of appearing more learned or more wise. Apply yourself to mortifying your vices, for this will benefit you more than your understanding of many difficult questions.

Though you shall have read and learned many things, it will always be necessary for you to return to this one principle: I am He who teaches man knowledge, and to the little ones I give a clearer understanding than can be taught by man. He to whom I speak will soon be wise and his soul will profit. But woe to those who inquire of men about many curious things, and care very little about the way they serve Me.
-The Imitation of Christ

LOVE! ❤️
 
Greetings and wishes in our Lord Savior Jesus Christ.

Is it just me or is it most of us started to think about Loving God as the top priority?

However, it is wonderful.

I was blessed to compile some quotes and related bible verses on Loving God.
Here is the link.

Praying to our Lord to help us Love Him is going to be the best.

Best wishes to you on your Love
 
Robert_Sock said:
Is what you’re doing glorifying God or enhancing your love of your neighbor?** If not, it’s vain glory.** It’s tough, but I’m beginning to gravitate towards it. I no longer compare myself to the sinful secular society where I’m inclined to think myself as righteous, but I now compare myself to the Carthusians which causes me to think of myself as being lukewarm at best. Not that everything in the secular world is vanity, like watching a relatively vain comedy to promote a sense of family would be LOVE, but watching it for pure entertainment is vanity. Sports ought to be done out of love of neighbor or needed exercise for your service of God; to feel a sense of competition, on the other hand, is also vanity.

BEWARE VAIN AND WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE

MY CHILD, do not let the fine-sounding and subtle words of men deceive you. For the kingdom of heaven consists not in talk but in virtue. Attend, rather, to My words which enkindle the heart and enlighten the mind, which excite contrition and abound in manifold consolations. Never read them for the purpose of appearing more learned or more wise. Apply yourself to mortifying your vices, for this will benefit you more than your understanding of many difficult questions.

Though you shall have read and learned many things, it will always be necessary for you to return to this one principle: I am He who teaches man knowledge, and to the little ones I give a clearer understanding than can be taught by man. He to whom I speak will soon be wise and his soul will profit. But woe to those who inquire of men about many curious things, and care very little about the way they serve Me.
-The Imitation of Christ

LOVE! ❤️
Click to expand...
Are you suggesting that anyone who watches an action or war movie, for example, is displaying vain glory?
 
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