The Greatest Gift 

“So faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13: 13) 

   Love originates in God; He is love itself.  All He does is done for love.  There was no need to create the universe and all that is in it.  He created because He loved and wanted to share that love.  Man and woman were not and are still not necessary to God, but He created them that they may share in His love.

   Within each of us there is a desire, a need to love others and to be loved by others.  The marital act strengthens that love and commitment to one another in a sacramental marriage.  “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh”. (Gen 2: 24).

   There will no need for faith in the next life; we will possess what our faith has promised.  Hope will cease to exist; all we have hoped for will be known.  But love, Gods greatest gift to us will remain through all eternity.  If our society, our culture is to continue, we must begin to love one another as God loves us. 

   “Love is patient, love is kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude.  Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at the wrong, but rejoices in the right.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor 4 – 7).