Human love and divine love are totally different from each other. Love can be carnal or spiritual, constructive or destructive. We can love something pleasant — an animal, a relative, family or friends.
The love that is mentioned in today’s Gospel is divine; to love God and to love our neighbor as yourself. God being so great and powerful lowered Himself in order to love man who is small and sinful. He calls man to be His friend in Abraham and Moses. The prophets present God’s love as spousal, bridegroom to an unfaithful bride Israel. His love is stronger than sin. It pardons and recreates a stony heart to a heart of flesh than would be capable to love.
The supreme manifestation of His love can be seen in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ who offered himself willingly on the cross. Christ the innocent one received the death penalty that was due to us because of our sin. But this did not end in Calvary because God sent another gift that is the Holy Spirit. Through His Spirit our hearts can be recreated. The love of God is completed by the second commandment that is to love our neighbor as ourselves. These two are inseparable. If we are loved by God it comes naturally for us to love the others. Our love for God returns to Him in the love we show to the other. If Christ laid down his life for us then we too ought to lay down our lives for our brothers, says St. John. Divine love destroys every barrier, does not despise anyone. It loves the enemies, pardons without limit, returns good for evil. By this love all will know that we are the disciples of Christ. This is the identity of a Christian because this love belongs exclusively to Christ.
