Love!

Mark Shea

by Mark Shea on January 13, 2008 · 0 comments

Genesis 22:2

He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

Today's passage is the first one in which the word "love" — the greatest of the three supernatural or "theological" virtues — is used in Scripture.  It is both telling and haunting that it is instantly coupled, not with warm and fuzzy platitudes about God as the big Care Bear in the Sky, but with the stark and frightening revelation that love means sacrifice.  For that is what love is: the offering of self for another.  Abraham had to learn and live this, not because God was a bloodthirsty monster (in fact, God stops the sacrifice once Abraham's test is complete), but because God was taking the first step toward revealing that it is He, not Abraham, Who was to offer His Son, His only Son, Whom He loved.

Mark Shea

By Mark Shea

Mark P. Shea is a Catholic author, blogger, and speaker.

Love

by George Herbert (1593-1633) on July 13, 2007

Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
    Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
    From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
    If I lack'd anything.

"A guest,' I answer'd, 'worthy to be here:'
    Love said, 'You shall be he.'
'I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
    I cannot look on Thee.'
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
    'Who made the eyes but I?'

'Truth, Lord; but I have marr'd them: let my shame
    Go where it doth deserve.'
'And know you not,' says Love, 'Who bore the blame?'
    'My dear, then I will serve.'
'You must sit down,' says Love, 'and taste my meat.'
    So I did sit and eat.

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