Jesus tells the apostles not to be afraid, and that He will pray to the Father so that the Father will send them another Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to be with us forever. What for? To love Jesus, for as He says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Now, as we saw last week, genuine love must express itself in deeds. “This indeed is love: obeying and believing in the loved one” (St John Chrysostom). Therefore, Jesus wants us to understand that love of God, if it is to be authentic, must he reflected in a life of generous and faithful self-giving, obedient to the will of God: he who accepts God’s commandments and obeys them, he it is who loves him. This divine love, according to St Thomas, operates four things in our souls, which we must desire with our whole heart:
1) The love of God produces in us our spiritual life. “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them” (1 John 4:16).
2) Love of God also produces the observance of the divine commandments. “ Those who love me will keep my word”(John 14:23).
3) The third effect is that the love of God is a great help against any adversity. As St. Paul says: “all things work together for good for those who love God” (Rom. 8, 28).
4) The fourth effect of charity is that it brings joy to the soul, because it leads us to everlasting life.
1) The love of God produces in us our spiritual life. “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them” (1 John 4:16).
2) Love of God also produces the observance of the divine commandments. “ Those who love me will keep my word”(John 14:23).
3) The third effect is that the love of God is a great help against any adversity. As St. Paul says: “all things work together for good for those who love God” (Rom. 8, 28).
4) The fourth effect of charity is that it brings joy to the soul, because it leads us to everlasting life.
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