1 Corinthians 13:1-13
St. Paul Writing About LOVE
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
These verses are often said at many weddings...But when St. Paul was writing these verses, I do not believe that He was thinking of weddings...I think St. Paul was trying to tell the Corinthians the importance of love in everyday life...Love is living together in a very peaceful and great way...Love is from God and the Great Gift of God, while we are on earth...And St. Paul says that love is patient, love is kind...It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud...It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs...Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth...It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres...Love never fails...But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away...For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears...When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child...When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me...For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face...Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love...But the greatest of these is love...The Great Virtue in Life is Love...
St. Paul shows us the importance of love in life...He shows us that love is necessary in life, for an earthly life to be good...Love is something that does not harm others...We needed love then as he wrote this letter to the Corinthians, and we need love today as we look around and see the negative things happening around us and in our schools, workplaces, and shops...Love when completely is happening among us, we see the great things in humanity...A community that completely loves each other and everyone is the foundation and goodness of that community...And so I pray, and hope, and have faith that the three main virtues continue...And now these three shall remain: faith, hope and love...But the greatest of these is love...