God is Love

My thoughts over the last few days have rested a lot on the idea of love, more specifically the idea of Christian love. Christians are commanded to love. Sometimes we do a wonderful job, sometimes we fail miserably. I don't understand some of the problems we Christians have with love; we try to tear each other down and we try to "prove" why our specific set of beliefs is "right" and why others' beliefs are "wrong."

I don't understand our need to do this, yet I openly admit I struggle with this at times. I am Catholic, born and raised. I was a teenager before I realized that there are many people who think Catholics are evil and that we pray to idols and that we are a cult. I was shocked when I learned this, shocked that anyone could believe such things about me. Of course, I am now older and not much shocks me anymore, which I guess is sad in its own way. But, back to the point, there are some things that I hold as self-evident, that anyone who is NOT Catholic would not believe, and I have tried to "prove" why I am right. Why did I do this? Why does anyone do this? I have no idea and I don't want to continue this any longer.

I am Catholic and I will continue to be Catholic. I will believe what I believe. I will also allow you to believe what you believe and I will not try to change your mind, I just ask for the same respect in return. I am willing to have open dialogues with you about our beliefs, but I will not allow you to be abusive to me and I will not be abusive to you. Please understand that I am not directing this to anyone in particular, my statements are just to "you" in general.

I have spent the better part of today reading Pope Benedict's Encyclical "God is Love." I am going to publish parts of his encyclical in three separate blog postings today. I have them ready to publish when I am done with this post. I invite anyone to read the excerpts, and I invite commentary. HOWEVER, please remember that Pope Benedict is Catholic and that some of his references and verbiage is going to be Catholic, he makes multiple references to Saints. If anyone disagrees with what the Pope has to say, please share that with me, HOWEVER I do not invite discussion (at this time) of the teachings and tenants of the Catholic Church. The following posts are about Love, Charity, and Service.

Let me say, I took the excerpts in order and have published them in order, however, this is not his Encyclical in its entirity. I took what jumped out to me and someone else could read and have completely different excerpts mean more to them. For those wishing to read the Encyclical in its entirity, here is the link to it on the Vatican website.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/
hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

On a final note, let us try to keep this in mind.

1 Corinthians 13

1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.