👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽The# Law and the #Prophets #Stand by These #Two #Commandments (Matthew 22:40)
Part 4- A Reflection in the Spirit of the Fathers
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, beloved in Christ, you who have been found worthy to be called the followers of the Apostolic and Orthodox Faith. The Lord, who spoke by the Prophets and revealed His fullness through the Incarnation of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, has entrusted us not with a burden hard to bear, but with commandments that are the fulfillment of all that came before: “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40).
Let us now, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, press forward in our understanding of Part 4 of this sacred teaching.
The Third Reflection: Understanding the Blessings that Flow from Love
The two commandments—to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves—are not mere duties imposed from on high, but are the channels by which divine blessings descend upon the faithful. Love is called the bond of all the law, for in it the law is no longer written on tablets of stone, but upon the living hearts of the saints.
As the Apostle declares, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). And who are those who love Him? They are the ones who show kindness, who clothe the naked, feed the hungry, visit the sick, welcome the stranger, and console the imprisoned (Matthew 25:34–36).
To such as these, the Lord shall say in glory, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” The Kingdom is not given to those who merely profess faith, but to those whose faith bears the fruit of love in action. These are the friends of God, they are called blessed, not for the quantity of their wealth, but for the treasure they stored in heaven by making love their currency.
The Fruits of Living in Love
When a man walks in love, he becomes like God, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Such a man:
Obtains what he seeks, because he seeks nothing for himself but the glory of God and the good of his neighbor.
Completes what he begins, for love drives him to perseverance and not to faint in trial.
Accomplishes his will, because his will has been joined to the will of God, in whom all things are made possible.
To live in love is to live in the very presence of the Divine Trinity. The one who treasures love becomes:
A friend of God, as Abraham was called the friend of God because of his obedient love.
A friend of all mankind, seeing every man not as an obstacle but as an image of the Creator.
A companion of saints and sinners alike, loving the righteous for their holiness, and the sinner that he might be saved.
Such universal love is not naïve, but divine. It imitates Him who causes His sun to shine on both the good and the evil.
Obstacles to Love and the Triumph Over Them
Even so, many are the trials that test this love. But none of them are worthy to sever us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35). Let us examine these, and how the saints have overcome them.
1. Suffering (Tsega)
Suffering comes in many forms:
The suffering of sin, which leads to repentance and humility.
The suffering of glory, when we are tested to be lifted higher in virtue.
The suffering of instruction, by which we learn patience, gratitude, and the richness of God’s mercy.
It is through suffering that saints are forged, as gold in the fire. “Take up your cross and follow Me,” said the Lord. The martyrs heard and obeyed:
Exposing their chests to spears,
Their feet to stones,
Their necks to the sword,
Their bodies to fire.
They imitated their Crucified Master not in words only, but in their flesh.
Continues👇🏽