Genuine Love

Paul, the apostle is synonymous with two words, love and the cross. Two words that are inseparable and to coin a phrase, “You can’t have one without the other”.  St. Thomas Aquinas has a wonderful perspective as to what an example of love is. Of true love he said, “No greater Love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the Cross”.

Yes, genuine love is love that is pure, that does not seek its own interests, but has only one purpose; to give joy to the person who is loved. And it was St. Paul who knew and believed in the kind of love Jesus wants the world to practice. It is the kind of love that can inspire, and transform others like Jesus did.

It is the kind of love that says “your love is so great, I will proudly imitate your love that you have for the world”. There is joy that comes with true love and Jesus, opening the gates of heaven, forgiving us of every sin we have and will commit, gave us that joy. It is truly love and it is truly the Cross.

Jesus fulfilled that earth-shattering purpose when he felt the piercing pain of every whip and every nail for the love of you and me.

He was not weak, but He knows our weaknesses, our failings, our intentions and yet he asks us one question, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink”?

The thought of any pain or suffering makes us cringe, a normal human reaction. But there are many times in our lives we experience unplanned setbacks, fatigue, illnesses that can cause us great suffering or discomfort.

It’s how we accept that pain and suffering and how we use it for the sake of others that shows our shining light.  That is returning Jesus’ love back to him, accepting our Cross for the love of Jesus.

Jesus tells us “whoever does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me”.

But with that cross we carry, comes the love of our creator, “I have loved you with an everlasting love”