04- LOVE, THE GREATEST GIFT

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen. 

Lesson No. 4

LOVE, THE GREATEST GIFT

References:     

Notes For Servants:

 

 

Objectives:

General:      Love everyone as Jesus loved us.

Specific:     

1. Learn that love is the greatest virtue of all.
2. Love everyone, even if they despise.
3. Practice Christian love everywhere all the time.

Instructions:

Bible Verse:

7     Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8     He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9     In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

(1 John 4:7-9)

Lesson:

Love, The Greatest Gift

Mark was reading in the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 13.  He was not able to understand the practical meaning of love.  While he was thinking he fell asleep, and saw a nice dream.  When he woke up, he wrote down what he had seen in his dream :

I found myself at a railway station.  A man stood beside me and said; "Come with me."  I walked with him towards a train waiting at the station.  We occupied two empty seats facing one another.  The train moved.  After some time we reached a station.  I read its name : "NEW CORINTH".  We left the train.  I looked at the man as we were walking.  He smiled at me.  His face looked very kind and peaceful.  I felt very comfortable to walk with him.  The people in the streets also looked very peaceful and loving.  We reached a square called "LOVE, SQUARE".  In the middle, the water was flowing from a fountain.  I saw many statues on all sides of the square.  The man said to me, "Look at this crucifixion".  I saw Jesus on the cross and a sign reading, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13).  In another side, a statue for St. Stephan, the first martyr, kneeling on his knees and saying the words written under the statue : “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” (Acts 7: 60).

At another corner, I saw a big painting of the Virgin Mary carrying the child Jesus in her hands.  Under the painting I read, St. Mary's words : “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke l :46, 47).  In another side of the square a statue showed the father receiving the prodigal son under which was written : “Let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15 :23, 24).

We found a bench at one corner of the square and sat side by side.  I said to him, "I like this beautiful square".  He said:  "In this place there is no hatred.  No one is ever jealous of another person.  Everyone uses his gifts in serving others with thanksgiving.  He never boasts on them because the Lord gave him the blessing of serving others with these gifts.  He also never shouts in arrogance or in rude manners, but rather listens to everyone in patience and humility.  When a boy like yourself sits with his colleagues or in his class, he is always sensitive to what the others want to do or to say, and never tries to impose himself or his views on them.  He never resents anyone or look down at him.  Even if someone says something to him that lie does not like, he does not answer back.  He is not easily irritated.  He rather says a nice word and immediately the situation changes, and people start talking to one another as good friends.  They open their hearts to one another and solve the problems between them peacefully.  Everyone bears everyone else, believes what the other says to him, and endures everything that comes to him and always hopes for all the good things for himself and for others as well.

I answered the man, “I wish I can stay in this place and enjoy this loving atmosphere.”  He said, “But you can enjoy this love in your ordinary life.  Everything depends on you.  When your heart is full of love towards everyone, you will see everything differently.  You will find that the little problems are easily solved.  You will......”.

I interrupted, “But how could I listen to someone insulting me, and do not answer back? How could I love this person?” He answered, “That is why love is the greatest gift.  It’s the action of the Holy Spirit.  You need to train yourself and practise love in your life, if you really want to live in NEW CORINTH; you can be there in your heart and mind.  Don't you know that love is the crown of all gifts and the Queen of all virtues!”

After these words I found myself awake.  I was not sure where I am.  I looked around, and found myself alone sitting at my desk.  I was very sorry when I discovered that it was a dream.  My Bible was still opened on the same chapter I was reading.  I immediately took a paper and a pen and wrote down this nice dream.

LET US GO TOGETHER TO NEW CORINTH

Mark read his dream to his class on the following Sunday.  After he finished, a boy in the class said, “I envied the boy sitting beside me in school because he got better marks than myself in the last examination”.  The teacher said to him : “You must not be jealous of him, because this might end in hatred.  You must be pleased for him, and at the same time you have to study harder in order to get better marks in the next examination”.  Then, Mark said, “I love my younger brother, but I am always mad at him because he takes my things and uses them.  Perhaps I should be kind to my brother and share my things with him.  I'll tell him that when he needs something from me, he must tell me before taking it, so that I would not look for it”.

THE GREATEST OF ALL GIFTS

The class read together the thirteenth chapter of St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians.  Another boy stood and asked, “I don't understand how could love be greater than even faith or hope.  The teacher answered, “Our faith in God is based on God's love to us and our love to him.  Without love, we would not have faith or hope.  St. John has explained this meaning to us very clearly:

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”  (1 John 4: 7-9)

Before the class was over, the students decided to think and write down examples of the expression of love from their own lives.

Conclusion: