A Moment Aside for 19 January 2021

 

A Moment Aside --- 19 January 2021

                                                                  

     A dangerous quote without a doubt, although the danger might not be what we think.

     Some would take this as a most permissive saying, allowing any sort of behavior and even exploitation, all in the name of “love.”

     Such an interpretation would be quite self-serving and very much off the mark. Augustine was not talking about a situation where a person could fulfill every wish they’d ever had, even to the point of hurting, using, or manipulating others.

     The issue here is the meaning of “love.” In a very narrow sense, love could be taken as an interest in another in order to satisfy oneself or as a desire of a far more bodily type. In the best light, however, love is a concern for another that might leave the self behind.

     It is in that sense that Augustine speaks of love. To reinforce this, we can call upon the Gospels:

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. (John 13:34)

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:31)

     If a person is motivated by love, all they do will be done out of love in the best sense. So when Augusting says “Love and do what you will.”, no evil or selfish action can come of it for such a thing would not be a loving action. Love in the best, unselfish sense is to be the basis of all action. No matter what might be done, it will be done with the best of motives - love.

     This will not be easy and mistakes will be made. We were not promised an easy time of it. However, we were promised this: God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. ( 1 John 4: 17b) Now that is dangerous!