"I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." --John 17:23
Perfection of life is the perfection of love. For love is the life of the soul. -- St. Francis De Sales
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love (1 John 4:18). Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:2).
Perfect love leads a man on to perfect fear. Such a man fears and keeps to God's will, not from fear of punishment, not to avoid condemnation, but because he has tasted the sweetness of being with God; he fears he may fall away from it. -- St. Dorotheos of Gaza
"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." --Matthew 5:48
"If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." -- John 14:23
Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us (1 John 3:24). If anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him (1 John 2:5).
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him (1 John 4: 16-17).
O my God, what shall I do in return for so much love?" And Jesus answers; "Thou hast to resemble Me, to live for Me, and to live of Me." The transformation will be easy; when it is a matter of love; one does not walk; one runs and flies. -- St. Peter Julian Emyard
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." --John 13:34
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7). Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves (Rom. 12:10). Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law (Rom. 13:8). The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14).
No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12).
"The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father." --John 16:27
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1). This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother (1 John 3:10).
The man who burns with the fire of divine love is a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and wherever he goes, he enkindles that flame; he desires and works with all his strength to inflame all men with the fire of God's love. Nothing deters him: he rejoices in poverty; he labours strenuously; he welcomes hardships; he laughs off false accusations; he rejoices in anguish. He thinks only of how he might follow Jesus Christ and imitate him by his prayers, his labours, his sufferings, and by caring always and only for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. -- St Anthony Mary Claret
Published: June 16,2011, November 9, 2012 5:33AM
