October 11
Daily Gleanings of the Saintly LifeTwelfth Friday after Trinity
Faith and love. I THESSALONIANS v. 8.
As love is the life of faith, so with the increase of love faith increaseth. Even from man towards man faith and love grow together. The more we love, the more we understand and the more we trust one another. We trust because we love, and by loving, know God. We can only know God by loving Him. S. Paul says, "I know in Whom I have believed." Want of love is the cause of all want of faith. Did we fully love God, who could for a moment doubt of Him? Who could repine at any loss, or pain, or want, or sickness, or bereavement, if he loved God with his whole soul and heart and strength? For strong love can have no hard thoughts of God. All mistrust of God implies that He is not all-good or all-wise. But love liveth by good works. Love cannot live torpid. Even in human love, love which never did deeds of love would grow cold and die. We love those most to whom we do most good. Love is perhaps increased more by doing than by receiving good, at least by doing good out of the love of God. Acts of love do not prove only that we have a living faith, they increase it. For to do good is to use the grace of God; and on the faithful use of grace, more grace is given. "Faith worketh by love."
Many a gift did Christ impart, Noblest of them all is love: Love, a balm within the heart That can all its pains remove; Love, a star most bright and pure; Love, a gem of priceless worth, Richer than man knows on earth.