The scope of Christian love

TO be sure, the scope of Christian love is universal and
inclusive. It covers all men, irrespective of who and how they are. It
is at least offered to all, irrespective of whether it is reciprocated
or not.

    That is why Christ offered his life on the cross. This is the
supreme act of love since “no one has greater love than he who offers
his life for his friends.” (Jn 15,13) Christ “desires all men to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim 2,4)

    It's also why Christ explicitly commanded us to love even our
enemies. He himself fraternized with the sinners. For example, he
chose Matthew, a tax-collector, another name for big sinner at that
time, as one of the apostles. He dined with Zaccheus, another rich man
regarded also as sinner at that time.

    Christian love by definition involves all and is given without
measure or calculation. This essence of love is what breaks us loose
from our limited human condition to make our world universal, not
entangled in some parochial, partisan or isolationist grip.

    Love matures and perfects us. It checks on our tendency to be
self-seeking and self-absorbed so as to be “all things to all men.” (1
Cor 9,22) It brings us not only to others, but rather to God himself,
identifying us with him, for “God is love” and is the source of love.

    This love is what properly measures out our true dignity and value
as persons and children of God. It’s not just some wisdom or knowledge
or talents and any human power. It is so rich and ineffable that it
seems to blend together what we usually consider as contrasting
qualities like being patient and impatient, tolerant and intolerant,
merciful and just, strict and lenient, etc.

    This Christian love always upholds the truth but delivered in
charity. “Fortiter in re, suaviter in modo,” as they say. It strictly
follows the doctrine of our faith, but it keeps us from becoming  a
doctrinaire, or one who indiscriminatingly puts into effect an
abstract doctrine or theory with little regard for the practical
difficulties.

    It is highly adaptable, flexible and versatile. It knows how to
blend the old and the new, the traditional and the innovative. It
enables us to be inventive and creative in our dealings with everyone,
just like God is with all of us. In this department, his capacity is
of course infinite. And if we strive to be close to him, to follow him
and conform ourselves to him, we have good reason to achieve the same
qualities, at least to some degree.

    It helps us to fraternize with everyone, including our enemies. It
is truly inclusive without compromising the truth, a very tricky ideal
that we need to aim at with God's grace and our all-out effort.

    In fact, it urges us to give some special, even preferential
treatment to those who are clearly in error insofar as faith and
morals are concerned. The lost sheep and the last coin are the objects
of its special attention.

    We need to train ourselves in this department because we obviously
have to contend with tremendous difficulties that we have to learn to
surmount. We will always have our biases and preferences and other
natural and human conditionings that, if not handled well, can
undermine the workings of Christian love.

    The exclusivity involved in our pursuit for the truth and justice
should not compromise the inclusivity and gratuity of charity and
mercy. Christian love is able to handle this predicament by overcoming
the fear of suffering, and even of death, if need be.

    A good exclusivity knows how to be patient and kind in its
expressions. It is willing to suffer for the truth. A bad one is
rather impatient and tends to impose its idea of truth on others. It
prefers for truth to suffer for them.

    A good exclusivity will know how to understand those who differ
from its position and will do everything to clarify itself. A bad one
can hardly stand opposition and is more interested in scoring points.
It likes to be triumphalistic.

    A good exclusivity knows that views are not simply intellectual
affairs, but involve at the end of the day the whole person. It is
more interested in the person than in the ideas. It's more interested
in charity than in correctness and winning an argument. A bad one is
often stuck with ideas alone and the person is considered secondary
and dispensable.