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June,
the month of weddings, is upon us. So let me talk about
that universal theme which a lot of couples should be
giving serious thought, especially before saying or
preparing to declare their “I dos.”
Our
Pope, Benedict XVI, this year came out with his
apostolic exhortation, entitled Sacramentum Caritatis,
or Sacrament of Love. Last year, the Vatican released
Pope Benedict’s first encyclical entitled Deus Caritas
est, or God is Love.
Pope
Benedict XVI is already 80 years old. And knowing that
his reign might not last that long, he is focusing on
imparting and teaching probably the most important theme
in Christianity—love—the focus of his first two official
teachings.
Our Pope
is a top theologian. He is considered a theological
genius. Yet, despite his knowledge, when he came out
with his first two teachings, he did not choose to take
on difficult subjects, such as Christology or
Ecclesiology, but he chose the subject of love. Our Pope
also knows that this is where we will be measured. This
is why in business terms, so to speak, it is important
for us to make a wise investment when it comes to love.
There
are many kinds and characteristics of love. The
so-called key to change in our lives, in our society,
the key to changing the world and, at times, referred to
as the most powerful force in the universe.
But what
kind of Love is God’s? What are the main
characteristics?
Actually, God’s love is beyond words. Nevertheless, I
selected three main characteristics of God’s love.
Unconditional.
God’s love is unconditional. It is a love that asks for
nothing in return. No payment. No ifs and buts. And God
expects our love to be the same. Yet, most people, if
they were to look closely, know that the way they love
is more often conditional. We expect something in
return. “I love you but. . . I will forgive you if. . .
I will let you only if. . ..”
We must
remember that the limit of God’s love is to love without
limit. The most powerful force of freedom and
liberation, of healing and salvation, is unconditional
love.
Self-emptying.
God’s love is self-emptying. This is love’s
characteristic that makes one give up everything, even
one’s life. In the Church, the technical term for this
is “Kenosis.” And the symbol for “Kenosis” is the Cross.
For us
Christians, we must remember that the symbol of true
love is neither a red heart, nor red roses, but the
Cross. Mind you though, that the cross alone is a false
symbol. The real symbol of love for Christians is Jesus
crucified on the Cross. The cross alone without Jesus is
not a symbol of love but a symbol of pain and torture.
It must have the Christ to become the symbol of true
love.
Everlasting.
The
third characteristic of God’s love is everlasting. The
love of God does not change. The love of God is forever.
His love is always there.
Truth to
tell, I am one of the priests who would actually deny
weddings to couples who wish to get married. When I was
still a parish priest in Bicutan, I would actually deny
wedding applications. I think I must have denied 50
applications. I even recently denied a couple. I would
deny their applications whenever they gave me the
“wrong” answer to a very simple question. That question
is, “why would you want to marry him/her?”
Often
the answer would be, “Father, I want to marry her
because of all the women in the world, she is the one
who will make me happy.” Application denied.
What was
the answer I wanted to hear? “Father, of all the people
in the world, I am the one who will make her happy.”
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