Lumen Gentium
paragraph 42
Love is not a feeling.
If love solely consisted of the ache you have in your heart, then virtue
would consist of sitting on your bed aching for those who mean something to
you. But as it is, that is the feeling
of love, it itself is not love. Love is
in deeds. It is who you are and what you
do. God, Who is love, gives us, through
the Holy Spirit, charity. But if it is
to mean anything within us, “each of the faithful must willingly hear the will
of God and carry out His will with deeds, with the help of His grace . . .” And ground zero for the source of our ability
to carry this out is our celebration of the Eucharist and other sacraments
followed by prayer, self denial, works of “brotherly service,” and the practice
of the virtues.
The supreme act of love is in the laying down of your life for
others as did our Savior and those who do so become more fully like him. That is why the Church has always so highly
esteemed martyrs. And in a world that is
highly suspicious of such things, she has also always fostered the lifestyle of
virginity and celibacy for those who wish to devote their lives more fully to
the service of God. Also held in high
esteem are those who actively choose poverty or simple lifestyles, subjecting
themselves to the love of God and conforming themselves more fully “to the
obedient Christ.”
A lifestyle say of poverty is not in and of itself holiness,
but a great pathway to holiness. What do
we need to do to make our lives a pathway to holiness? We can begin pondering this with the warning
from Scripture, “Let those who use this world not fix their abode in it, for
the form of this world is passing away.”
1 Cor. 7:31
This brings to an end the chapter on holiness.
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