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What You Need To Know About Love, The Essential Christian Commandment

What You Need To Know About Love, The Essential Christian Commandment | "Love first. Everything else later. In fact, everthing else is meaningless without love." 
Father James Martin, SJ. | image tagged in james martin,love,meaning,meaninglessness,god is love | made w/ Imgflip meme maker
123 views 3 upvotes Made by AArchibald 7 months ago in politics
4 Comments
1 up, 7mo,
1 reply
Yes... that's why anti-Christians hate them so much.
0 ups, 7mo,
1 reply
I could be wrong but I sense you're using the word "hate" to set "Christians" (including youself perhaps) in a separate category where you don't have to love the people who hate you, or - for that matter - exhibit any kind of compassion or fellow feeling... as if "the haters" are "The Absolute Others" and so "I don't have to love them" when, in fact, Jesus is calling on his followers to love them even more.

Consider this:

Matthew 5:43-48 --- The Message (translation)

43-47 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

48 “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

*****

I don't see "the best being brought out" of many conservative Christians.

Almost always, I detect in them a palpable spirit of spitefulness, resentment, and ill will (if not malice).
0 ups, 7mo,
1 reply
Yes... ignore Christians are being persecuted over the whole world and the MSM is silent...
0 ups, 7mo
https://newsfrombarbaria.blogspot.com/2024/05/my-response-to-correspondent-who.html
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"Love first. Everything else later. In fact, everthing else is meaningless without love." Father James Martin, SJ.