J
JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
A simple enough question. For you and your religion, what is love?
A simple enough question. For you and your religion, what is love?
- Status
L
lampstand
Guest
Compassion and affection. Trying to help somebody even if things are not always so great for you.
Also, that you don’t have any points in tennis.
Also, that you don’t have any points in tennis.
J
JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
The Catechism defines the theological virtue of love (a.k.a charity) thus:
Charity
1822 Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.
1823 Jesus makes charity the new commandment.(Cf. ⇒ Jn 13:34.) By loving his own “to the end,”(⇒ Jn 13:1.) he makes manifest the Father’s love which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.” and again: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”(⇒ Jn 15:9, ⇒ 12.)
1824 Fruit of the Spirit and fullness of the Law, charity keeps the commandments of God and his Christ: “Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.”(⇒ Jn 15:9-10; cf. ⇒ Mt 22:40; ⇒ Rom 13:8-10.)
1825 Christ died out of love for us, while we were still “enemies.”(⇒ Rom 5:10.) The Lord asks us to love as he does, even our enemies, to make ourselves the neighbor of those farthest away, and to love children and the poor as Christ himself.(Cf. ⇒ Mt 5:44; ⇒ Lk 10:27-37; ⇒ Mk 9:37; ⇒ Mt 25:40, ⇒ 45.)
The Apostle Paul has given an incomparable depiction of charity: “charity is patient and kind, charity is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Charity does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Charity bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”(⇒ 1 Cor 13:4-7.)
1826 “If I . . . have not charity,” says the Apostle, “I am nothing.” Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, “if I . . . have not charity, I gain nothing.”(⇒ 1 Cor 13:1-4.) Charity is superior to all the virtues. It is the first of the theological virtues: “So faith, hope, charity abide, these three. But the greatest of these is charity.”(⇒ 1 Cor 13:13.)
1827 The practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which “binds everything together in perfect harmony”;(⇒ Col 3:14.) it is the form of the virtues; it articulates and orders them among themselves; it is the source and the goal of their Christian practice. Charity upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love.
1828 The practice of the moral life animated by charity gives to the Christian the spiritual freedom of the children of God. He no longer stands before God as a slave, in servile fear, or as a mercenary looking for wages, but as a son responding to the love of him who “first loved us”: (Cf. 1 ⇒ Jn 4:19.)
If we turn away from evil out of fear of punishment, we are in the position of slaves. If we pursue the enticement of wages, . . . we resemble mercenaries. Finally if we obey for the sake of the good itself and out of love for him who commands . . . we are in the position of children.(St. Basil, Reg. fus. tract., prol. 3 PG 31, 896 B.)
1829 The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion:
Love is itself the fulfillment of all our works. There is the goal; that is why we run: we run toward it, and once we reach it, in it we shall find rest.(St. Augustine, In ep. Jo. 10, 4: PL 35, 2057.)
The Catechism defines the theological virtue of love (a.k.a charity) thus:
Charity
1822 Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.
1823 Jesus makes charity the new commandment.(Cf. ⇒ Jn 13:34.) By loving his own “to the end,”(⇒ Jn 13:1.) he makes manifest the Father’s love which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.” and again: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”(⇒ Jn 15:9, ⇒ 12.)
1824 Fruit of the Spirit and fullness of the Law, charity keeps the commandments of God and his Christ: “Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.”(⇒ Jn 15:9-10; cf. ⇒ Mt 22:40; ⇒ Rom 13:8-10.)
1825 Christ died out of love for us, while we were still “enemies.”(⇒ Rom 5:10.) The Lord asks us to love as he does, even our enemies, to make ourselves the neighbor of those farthest away, and to love children and the poor as Christ himself.(Cf. ⇒ Mt 5:44; ⇒ Lk 10:27-37; ⇒ Mk 9:37; ⇒ Mt 25:40, ⇒ 45.)
The Apostle Paul has given an incomparable depiction of charity: “charity is patient and kind, charity is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Charity does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Charity bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”(⇒ 1 Cor 13:4-7.)
1826 “If I . . . have not charity,” says the Apostle, “I am nothing.” Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, “if I . . . have not charity, I gain nothing.”(⇒ 1 Cor 13:1-4.) Charity is superior to all the virtues. It is the first of the theological virtues: “So faith, hope, charity abide, these three. But the greatest of these is charity.”(⇒ 1 Cor 13:13.)
1827 The practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which “binds everything together in perfect harmony”;(⇒ Col 3:14.) it is the form of the virtues; it articulates and orders them among themselves; it is the source and the goal of their Christian practice. Charity upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love.
1828 The practice of the moral life animated by charity gives to the Christian the spiritual freedom of the children of God. He no longer stands before God as a slave, in servile fear, or as a mercenary looking for wages, but as a son responding to the love of him who “first loved us”: (Cf. 1 ⇒ Jn 4:19.)
If we turn away from evil out of fear of punishment, we are in the position of slaves. If we pursue the enticement of wages, . . . we resemble mercenaries. Finally if we obey for the sake of the good itself and out of love for him who commands . . . we are in the position of children.(St. Basil, Reg. fus. tract., prol. 3 PG 31, 896 B.)
1829 The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion:
Love is itself the fulfillment of all our works. There is the goal; that is why we run: we run toward it, and once we reach it, in it we shall find rest.(St. Augustine, In ep. Jo. 10, 4: PL 35, 2057.)
J
JMJ_coder
Guest
J
JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
Love is a decision. It is an act of the will. You decide to love someone, you don’t feel your way to or from love.
Love is a decision. It is an act of the will. You decide to love someone, you don’t feel your way to or from love.
A
AgnosTheist
Guest
I cant see how toddlers decide to love their moms.
from webster
LOVE
1 a (1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties (2): attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3): affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests b: an assurance of love
2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion
3 a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration b (1): a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2)British —used as an informal term of address
4 a: unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person’s adoration of God
H
Hisalone
Guest
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 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, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, F42 but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
I
iamACE
Guest
**Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated.
Love is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.**
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
Love is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.**
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
V
Valke2
Guest
IT is likely that the word “love” as used in the Hebrew Bible, often referred to loyalty. If you look at ancient mideast correspondence between a vassal and a king, it often open with a declaration of love for the king, i.e., loyalty. So, to love God, is to be loyal to His commandments.
K
kalt
Guest
I disagree–I think. There are acts of love, but those acts aren’t love itself. We can think about love, but that, too, isn’t love.
If only love were an act of the will. If only we could intellectualize it like a math problem and always get the right answer. Wouldn’t that save a lot of heartache.
Sometimes we love people even when it would be in our best interest not to, even when our mind tells us that loving this person is nuts.
Love involves our intellect, but we can’t act (act of will) our way into it.
Do you have a mother-in-law? Sometimes, no matter how hard you try…
A
AgnosTheist
Guest
Well said.I disagree–I think. There are acts of love, but those acts aren’t love itself. We can think about love, but that, too, isn’t love.
If only love were an act of the will. If only we could intellectualize it like a math problem and always get the right answer. Wouldn’t that save a lot of heartache.
Sometimes we love people even when it would be in our best interest not to, even when our mind tells us that loving this person is nuts.
Love involves our intellect, but we can’t act (act of will) our way into it.
P
Publisher
Guest
Agape love is that love which seeks the welfare of others even to the point above our own.
It is a choice…it is not a feeling. One can “feel” all the gushy emotions typically associated with “love”…but if it is not couple with action…choosing to be loving…it is not really “love” it is simply a “gushy feeling” that makes no difference whatsoever in another’s life not impacts them in any positive way.
We may not always “feel” love, but we can always act lovingly…as it is a choice how we act…it is not always a choice how we feel.
It is a choice…it is not a feeling. One can “feel” all the gushy emotions typically associated with “love”…but if it is not couple with action…choosing to be loving…it is not really “love” it is simply a “gushy feeling” that makes no difference whatsoever in another’s life not impacts them in any positive way.
We may not always “feel” love, but we can always act lovingly…as it is a choice how we act…it is not always a choice how we feel.
A
AgnosTheist
Guest
FYI: You can choose how to feel about something.
P
Publisher
Guest
Choosing how to “feel” about something takes a bit more work and disipline. I can choose to act loving even if I don’t feel loving.
It would be wonderful if the two went together…but that isn’t always the case.
If I “feel” love for someone, yet treat them despitefully…is it really love? If I treat them as a person of worth and with kindness and display compassionate actions, am I not more “loving” than the other?
Love is more of a choice to act in the best interest of others above my own…the feelings may or may not come later.
A
AgnosTheist
Guest
Love always include emotions whether or not it is a choice.
depends on your motives. i love my daughter but even with my tender affections i had to treat her harshly sometimes in order to dicipline her.
that depends on how you feel. outside you may appear to be more loving, but what matters is the inside. do you actually care for the person or is it all just pretense?
P
Publisher
Guest
I guess since we’re dealing with experience and not a “blanket” understanding embraced by each of us the same…we’ll just agree on the experiential nature of love…it has not always been so with me as it has with you…but I am called to be loving even though I many not “feel” loving at the moment of action.
I do not believe acting in a loving manner without the “good warm feelings” that usually accompany “love” to be pretense…it is choosing to act lovingly and not be sidetracked from acting in a loving manner by my feelings…which have been know to change from one moment to the next.
I do not believe acting in a loving manner without the “good warm feelings” that usually accompany “love” to be pretense…it is choosing to act lovingly and not be sidetracked from acting in a loving manner by my feelings…which have been know to change from one moment to the next.
A
AgnosTheist
Guest
Though warm feeling dont usually accompany good deeds, love can & usually follows after a good deed is initiated. And for me, true love is accomplished when your heart matches your deeds. Otherwise isnt it that in the bible God himself complained that the jews worshipped him in deed and not by heart?
P
Publisher
Guest
I don’t know that “heart” intended to mean “feeling”…I think it conveys “one’s being”…but emotions are a fickle lot to pin down…while I am not Catholic, I respect Mother Teresa for her candidness on how her feelings and emotions didn’t always coincide with her deeds…but she believed in doing right…hopefully the feelings would follow.
J
JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
Again, love is not about mere feelings. If you go by mere feelings, the devil will play you for a yo-yo. You’ll be up, down and all around.
Love is a decision - it is to desire the highest and best for a person. Ultimately that means God. For our hearts were made for Him, and they remain restless until they rest in Him.
While in a lower sense love does interact with the passions (eros), that is of a lower grade and is a more selfish love. But, as Christians, we are called to a higher love (agape).
I highly encourage everyone to read the Pope encyclical: Deus Caritas Est
Again, love is not about mere feelings. If you go by mere feelings, the devil will play you for a yo-yo. You’ll be up, down and all around.
Love is a decision - it is to desire the highest and best for a person. Ultimately that means God. For our hearts were made for Him, and they remain restless until they rest in Him.
While in a lower sense love does interact with the passions (eros), that is of a lower grade and is a more selfish love. But, as Christians, we are called to a higher love (agape).
I highly encourage everyone to read the Pope encyclical: Deus Caritas Est
- Status