Love

 

On Saturday night, 

A friend sent me this quote:

 

Even if a unity of faith is not possible, a unity of love is. —Hans Urs von Balthasar

 

On Sunday morning, 

My dad read 1 Corinthians 13. 

 

As Christ followers,

We are called to live in unity with one another.

And yet we disagree on 

Church polity,

Doctrine,

Theology,

Morals and values, 

Scripture interpretation,

And more. 

 

But Jesus is clear in the gospels and

Paul is clear in his letter to the Corinthians

That love is the greatest thing that we can hold.

And Paul takes it a step further and 

Gives us a clear definition of love 

That doesn’t take much interpretation. 

 

I think that sometimes we become so familiar with scripture 

That we don’t really hear it. 

I heard it yesterday. 

And it was a powerful reminder of 

Who I am tasked to be, 

Especially during these last few weeks of school. 

 

May you hear it, too, 

Even if you’ve read it 100 times, 

And may you remember:

 

“Even if a unity of faith is not possible, a unity of love is.”

 

Amen. 

 

——

 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, 

But do not have love, 

I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

 

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, 

And if I have a faith that can move mountains, 

But do not have love, 

I am nothing. 

 

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, 

But do not have love, 

I gain nothing.

 

Love is patient, 

Love is kind. 

It does not envy, 

It does not boast, 

It is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, 

It is not self-seeking, 

It is not easily angered, 

It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects, 

Always trusts, 

Always hopes, 

Always perseveres.

 

Love never fails. 

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; 

Where there are tongues, they will be stilled; Where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 

But when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 

 

When I was a child, 

I talked like a child, 

I thought like a child, 

I reasoned like a child. 

When I grew up,

I put the ways of childhood behind me. 

 

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; 

Then we shall see face to face. 

Now I know in part; 

Then I shall know fully, 

Even as I am fully known.

 

And now these three remain: 

faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.

 

Amen.