Right now I am in a study group that is going through JPII's "Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body". During our last study group, we discussed the concept of God creating man. The following was what we found:
As many of you know, 1 Cor. 13 is known as the Love Chapter. You know: "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous..." But often we skip the first part of that chapter, verses 1-3. Take a moment to read those verses now before continuing to read.
Did you read the part about how we are nothing if we do not have love? More importantly, did you understand it?
The reason we must have love is because that is how we were created. God didn't take a bunch of stuff, threw it in a pot, stirred every 2 minutes until done, and then called it "Man". What He did do is take a bunch of dust to give us form, but we could not exist merely through dust (which really is nothing on it's own, if you think about it). We were created, given life, with nothing that we can fathom. Now by definition, giving cannot refer to nothing. Giving must define the giver (God), the receiver (us), and the relation established between them (we are created and loved by God and in return, love Him back).
As many of you know, 1 Cor. 13 is known as the Love Chapter. You know: "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous..." But often we skip the first part of that chapter, verses 1-3. Take a moment to read those verses now before continuing to read.
Did you read the part about how we are nothing if we do not have love? More importantly, did you understand it?
The reason we must have love is because that is how we were created. God didn't take a bunch of stuff, threw it in a pot, stirred every 2 minutes until done, and then called it "Man". What He did do is take a bunch of dust to give us form, but we could not exist merely through dust (which really is nothing on it's own, if you think about it). We were created, given life, with nothing that we can fathom. Now by definition, giving cannot refer to nothing. Giving must define the giver (God), the receiver (us), and the relation established between them (we are created and loved by God and in return, love Him back).
Does it make a little bit of sense now? If we have love in our hearts, it shines through because that is what we are made of. People can see God in us if we love, it is the gift. Did you know that we are the only ones granted this gift? "Man" (humans) is the only species on the planet that can love and be loved. Isn't that incredible and amazing?!
Today, instead of grumbling and complaining, LOVE somebody. This world is crying out for love, even me, even you. It's not easy to love always, but it's so incredibly worth it.
Love isn't love until you give it away.
We bring Christ to someone when we love them.
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