Love of God

The more we love God, the more we will grow in holiness.

"Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God." (CCC 1822)

Scripture tells us: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart all your mind and all your soul." And St. Paul tells us that without love, everything is meaningless. So it follows that he tells us that the love of God the central motivation for all our actions: "In everything you do, do it for the glory of God."

Mary loves God completely and purely. She wants to glorify the Lord with her whole being. The first words of her Magnificat reveals this desire: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord." Mary wants to magnify, praise and exalt his name from the deepest part of her being and in all her words and actions.

It has been said that holiness is the perfection of charity. Since God is love and God is holy, therefore to be holy means to be like God and to love perfectly.   

Mother Teresa said we don't have to do great things, just do little things with great love.  When we do something well out of love for God, then our actions are sanctified. Our pure intention of doing something well for the glory of God is pleasing to him and merits an increase in grace so that we may grow in charity. God desires that we grow in love and hence grow in holiness. Therefore, the more we try to do everything out of love for God, the more God will assist us with his graces.

In my office I have a plaque with the letters AMDG in the four quadrants of a Jerusalem cross.  The letters stand for Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam, which is Latin for: "For the Greater Glory of God," the motto for the Society of Jesus.  This is to remind myself of doing everything not for my glory but for the glory of God.

Another definition that I often think about and try to implement is this:  "Holiness is doing the next thing that has to be done with your whole heart and finding delight in it."  Doing something with your whole heart means doing the best you can for the love and glory of God.

Love is preeminent. It needs to inform everything we do.  St. Augustine said, "Love and do what you will." Love sanctifies everything we do. The love of God sanctifies us and calls down upon us more graces to help us grow in love. The greater the love the greater the grace.  So be creative and bold!