LOVE: Saint Paul’s Hymn

A Reflection of 1 Corinthians 13

Love is not primarily a feeling or emotion, though love can be accompanied by feelings and emotions. It is willing the good of the other as other. When we love, we escape the black hole of our own clinging egotism and live for someone else; to love is to leap joyfully out of the self.

 “Love is patient, love is kind”, St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:4. Many of us are good or just to someone else so that he or she, in turn, might be good or just to us. This is not love, but rather indirect egotism. 

If someone responds to our kindness with hostility or even indifference, we quickly withdraw our generosity. But the person characterized by true love is not interested in reciprocation but simply in the good of the other, and therefore, is willing to wait out any resistance.

True love has nothing to do with resentment, for it wants the success of the other. The person who loves is not conceited, because she feels no need to raise herself above the other. Just the contrary: she wants the other to be elevated, and hence she takes the lower place with joy. Once we understand the nature of true love, we know why “it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7). The one who loves is not focused on himself but on the object or person of his love. He is not preoccupied with his own weariness or disappointment or frustration. Instead he looks ahead, hoping against hope, attending to the needs of the one he loves.

“Love never fails”, continues St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:8. In heaven, when we are sharing the divine life, even faith will end, for we will see and no longer merely believe; hope will end, for our deepest longing will have been realized. But love will endure, because heaven IS love. Heaven is the state of being in which everything that is not love has been burned away. And in the end, “faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love”, concludes St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo and her Thoughts

"The Lord does not give you what you ask for

but what you believe you will receive!"

(Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo, FSP)

Blessed James Alberione and his Thoughts

"May the Son of God come to be born

in our hearts and in our minds!"

(Blessed James Alberione, SSP)

Blessed James Alberione and his Thoughts

"The blessed soul of Mary was filled with grace,

according to her very high mission as Mother of God.

Thus the Church sings: "You are beautiful, O Mary,

and the sin of origin is not in you!"

(Blessed James Alberione, SSP)

To everyone: "Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!"

Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo and her Thoughts

"We are in the month of December,

the last month of the year.

This thought should lead us

to prepare ourselves well

for the birth of JESUS!"

(Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo, FSP)

Blessed James Alberione and his Thoughts

"The saints are wonders of the Holy Spirit, 

persons in whom He lived in abundant manner!" 

(Blessed James Alberione, SSP, Founder of the Pauline Family).

Blessed James Alberione and his Thoughts

"Where purity is greater, 

charity is also greater. 

Mary was entirely pure and full of divine charity!"

(Blessed James Alberione, ssp)

Blessed James Alberione and his Thoughts

"Saint Paul tells us to give good example: 

Abstain even from the appearances of evil. 

Can we say: anyone who sees me can learn from me? 

Do I preach what is good with my life?" 

(Blessed James Alberione, SSP)

Blessed James Alberione and his Thoughts

"Those who imitate Saint Paul, 

imitate Jesus Christ! 

Those who have the heart of Saint Paul, 

have the heart of Jesus Christ! 

(Blessed James Alberione, SSP) 

Blessed James Alberione and his Thoughts

"O Mary, 

may the apostolate of example and word, 

of prayer and the press, 

of films, radio and television, 

of the internet, 

may win over the hearts of many generous persons...!" 

(Blessed James Alberione, ssp)

Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo and her Thoughts

"O Mary, my good Mother, 

may I love you and Jesus alone. 

Help me with your grace. 

I trust you!" 

(Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo)

Happy Easter to everyone!

To everyone, 

I wish you all the super abundant blessings 

of the Resurrected  JESUS! 

HAPPY EASTER! 

Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo and her Thoughts

"The Lord does not give you

what you ask for

but what you believe

you will receive!"

(Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo, fsp)

Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo and her Thoughts

“May our spirit be like St. Paul’s, 

always united to God 

and always ready to do His will!” 

(Venerable Sr. Thecla Merlo, fsp)

Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo and her Thoughts

"I want this year to be a year of holiness for me. 

May my every breath, every heartbeat, 

every movement be for you, my God!" 

(Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo, FSP)

Happy New Year to all!"

Blessed James Alberione and his Thoughts

"May MARY place her little Baby JESUS during this Christmas 

in your warm, humble and generous hearts!" 

(Blessed James Alberione, ssp)

Thoughts from Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo, fsp

“We are in the month of December, 

the last month of the year. 

This thought should lead us to prepare ourselves well for the birth of Jesus!” 

(Venerable Sister Thecla Merlo, fsp)