1 John 4:19
We love, because he first loved us.
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I may have given my son a gift last week, but I do expect that he studies well. I may have said “I love you” to my wife this morning, but I expect that she loves me back. I may have donated some money to charity, and yet I expect that God will return back the favor a hundred times.
When was the last time I gave something without expecting something in return?
When was the last time I have given something, all out of love, because I believe that is the right thing to do?
St. Francis Xavier was a pioneering Roman Catholic Christian missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order). The Roman Catholic Church considers him to have converted more people to Christianity than anyone since St. Paul having devoted much of his life to missions in foreign countries – Indonesia, India, Malacca, Japan and South China.
In his prayer, we should love God, not because of anything else (i.e., we want to go to heaven, have eternal life). We should love and praise God, simply because He is our Creator, our Lord and our eternal King. God should expect more from us, rather than we expecting anything from Him.
My God, I love thee; not because I hope for heaven thereby,
nor yet because who love thee not are lost eternally.
Thou, O my Jesus, thou didst me upon the cross embrace;
for me didst bear the nails and spear, and manifold disgrace.
Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ should I not love thee well?
not for the hope of winning heaven, or of escaping hell.
not with the hope of gaining aught, nor seeking a reward,
but as thyself has lovèd me, O ever-loving Lord!
Even so I love thee, and will love and in thy praise will sing,
solely because thou art my God, and my eternal king.
Praise the Lord, for He is our love, forever!
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