Degrees of Love for Jesus

General Christian Theology
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Sudsy
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Degrees of Love for Jesus

Post by Sudsy »

This came up in another thread when discussing to love Jesus is to obey His commandments. This story Jesus told about loving Him brings up a question or two, perhaps.

The story [bible]Luke 7,41-47[/bible]

Could this be considered a reason why churches that are mainly filled with those raised up in the church and don't regard themselves as doing any great sinning that needs forgiveness, are lacking in affectionate love for Christ ?

And taking this a step further, if they are not getting new people who came out of worldly unchurched backgrounds and are seeing their 'first love for Christ', that they become cold and indifferent in their relationship with God driven by thankfulness for how much they have been forgiven ? Perhaps an emotionless duty type of serving and obeying ?

In this story Jesus seems to be pointing out to Peter that his actions just don't reflect the same degree of love that this woman has for Him. It wasn't an obedience issue but more an affectionate heart issue.

I'll leave it at that to see what any response may be.
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MaxPC
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Re: Degrees of Love for Jesus

Post by MaxPC »

Good thread, Sudsy. Let me cogitate on it overnight and see if I can contribute. Am a bit tired so don't hold your breath. :lol:
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Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35
Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
MaxPC
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Re: Degrees of Love for Jesus

Post by MaxPC »

Okay. Here's one perspective from a nun of the 13th century that may provide grist for your exploratory mill.

Beatrice of Nazareth (1200-1268 AD) wrote a brief treatise, "The Seven Manners of Loving". This meditation on how humans respond to God in love describes how love for God evolves over time.

>Active longing for restoring the image and likeness of God, which proceeds out of love;
>Offering oneself to God;
>Suffering for God;
>Enjoying the splendor of God’s love;
>Accepting that love includes both ecstasy and agony;
>Resting confidently in God’s love; and finally,
>Contemplating the Divine Mystery of love, which paradoxically brings us back to an ever-deeper longing.

You can read a translation of her treatise here.
http://www.sofiatopia.org/equiaeon/7ways.htm

I think it's important we remember that God deals with each of us as individuals not as "formulas". Beatrice was writing from her own experience. She did help identify some of the phases we all experience even if we don't experience them in the same sequence or even altogether.
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Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35
Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
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