Last Jan. 30 Sunday, one of the readings was that famous “Love is patient, Love is kind” text from St. Paul to the Corinthians. Many a wedding have I attended where this was a chosen reading. And sometimes, I would catch one bride or groom look at the other so lovingly as they listen to the reading.
A guidebook for romantic love.
But as I was reflecting on the passages, I reckon that St. Paul was talking more about “love” as an attitude (if that makes sense), rather than as the emotion or even behavior typical of romance and relationships.
We are being called to have a “loving heart”, beyond being “loving” or being always “in love”. He describes a person with a loving heart: patient, kind, never boastful or proud, etc., not necessarily directed towards an object of one’s ‘love’. He calls us to be people who are loving in general - mapagmahal - regardless of who one is with.
I know of very few people whom I can say, have a ‘loving heart’: ever patient, kind, humble, truthful, trustful, hopeful.
Actually, St. Paul’s list is some kind of checklist of “how to know if you have a loving heart”.
Then I realize how far I am from being that person. I know I can be loving to my partner, to my family, to my friends. But I am not loving in general. I am generally impatient, proud, selfish, among so many nega things.
But there is hope! In an earlier passage, St. Paul tells us to ‘Strive for this greatest of spiritual gifts’. So with this realization, I now have a consciousness to ‘try’ to be less of those nega things. I am working on this heart of mine to be a bit more loving in general.
