Jan 20 2008
∞
“ Ask each several man; let him tell you if he love God. He cries out, he confesses: I love, God knows. There is another question to be asked. “If any man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar.” By what do you prove that he is a liar? Hear. “For he that loves not his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he sees not?” What then? does he that loves a brother, love God also? He must of necessity love God, must of necessity love Him that is Love itself. Can one love his brother, and not love Love? Of necessity he must love Love. What then? because he loves Love, does it follow that he loves God? Certainly it does follow. In loving Love, he loves God. Or have you forgotten what you said a little while ago, “Love is God”? If “Love is God,” whoso loves Love, loves God. Love then your brother, and feel yourself assured.
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— St. Augustine, Homilies on First John, homily 9, paragraph 10 (link).
