Spiritual Corner - The Love of God will become Perfect in the Love of Neighbours

The only commandment Jesus taught us is “Love”. This commandment of love has two phases: Love of God and love of neighbor. John the Apostle restated Jesus’ teaching: “If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is brought to perfection only if it exists in us.” (1 John: 4:12)

Why did John the Apostle say that God’s love would be brought to perfection when we love our neighbour?

St. Catherine of Alexandria explained in her “Il Dialogo, Della Divina Provvidenza”: It is not possible for us to love God in as much the same way as He loves us, because God loves us first with infinite love. Conversely, when we love God in return, we are just doing what we should do, it is an obligation because we are indebted to Him; however, God loves us not out of obligation. His love is a free blessing. Thus, there is no way we can directly repay His love. For this reason, God places our neighbour as media, what we cannot do directly to God, we can do it to our neighbor. In other words, the love we are unable to repay to God can be rendered to our neighbours. It is only when we love our neighbour without seeking gratitude and return that this kind of love becomes a perfect love.

All the neighbours are opportunities God grants to us to return His love: families, friends, colleagues or even strangers. There may be people whom we feel do not deserve our love. However, just because they do not deserve but we still love them, this makes our love even more perfect, because God loves us first when we do not deserve to be loved.

Yours,
Fr. Matthew Wang