One of the most used and abused words in contemporary times is love. We love ice cream, we love dogs, we love our mothers. All use the word love but the meaning as we realise differs from each usage. This is analogy in its practical use.
The Readings of today's 30th Sunday speak of love in varied ways. The First Reading speaks of the negative side of love, in the sense that there are things we do NOT do if we love our neighbours. We may add many other do not's basing from our own experience and from the wisdom of others. The Psalm sings of the love of God because He has loved us first. He created us, sustains and maintains us and will continue to watch over us till we are no more. The Second Reading speaks of the positive side of love, in which our loving ways are multiplied because in loving we inspire others to love too. When we DO love, we never only love, we spread love.
Love of things, plants and animals is different from love of persons. Love of persons is different from love of God. Love of God gives meaning to love of persons, animals, plants and things. Without love of God all these other loves really have no sense at all. That is why love of persons without love of God is frustrating and ultimately leaves us out of love.
St. Augustine, the original doctor love, talks about why if there are three loves, the Gospel of Today only mentions two commandments. I leave Doctor Love to explain this in his own words: "Thus our love has three objects. But why are there only two commandments? I will tell you: God did not consider it necessary to commit you to loving yourself, since there is no one who doesn’t love himself. But many people lose themselves because they love themselves in a bad way. By telling you to love God with all that you are, God gave you a rule according to which you must love yourself. Without doubt you want to love yourself? So love God with all that you are. For it is in him that you will find yourself and avoid losing yourself in yourself… Therefore, the rule according to which you must love yourself is given to you: love the one who is greater than you and you will love yourself."
