Love is a gift of God’

‘Love is a gift of God’

(By ‘Love’ I refer to the virtue of ‘Charity’ which proceeds from God, not to the ‘attractions’ which we wrongly call ‘love’.)

The ability to genuinely love others is always a gift from God; it is not based on our own efforts or goodness.

We claim to love others.

But how can we be sure that our love is sincere and genuine?

There is a false idea that we love, because we are good.

But in fact love is a gift of God given to us free.

We can grow in love only with the grace of God and it also will be given us free if we ask Him for it.

Showing love to others is not something done to show how good we are, but to show how loving and generous God is.

When we show our love to others we must behave in such a way as to enable others to know how gentle and merciful Jesus is.

They must realize that we love only because we are the followers of Jesus who is loving and merciful.

Others must see Jesus in us.

 St. Paul says, “Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord, Rejoice in hope; endure in affliction; persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones; exercise hospitality.”

These things are not easy to do without the grace of God.

With God’s grace everything is possible.

 We are sinners and that our way of loving is marked by sin.

But Jesus can liberate us from sin and give us salvation.

 We firmly believe that God’s love never fails.

  If we ask, He will give us the grace to love more perfectly.

 The Risen Lord is with us to heal our hearts.

  If we ask He will allow us, despite our littleness and poverty, to experience the compassion of the Father and to celebrate the wonders of his love.”

   God Himself takes residence in our hearts and in our lives to make us instruments of His love.

 We will love others as God loves them, wishing them to be good, and to become saints and friends of God.

 We will be happy to be closer to the poor and the humble to love and serve them.

When we love and serve others we love and serve God.

Lourdu Selvam.