In my opinion, love is of three kinds: carnal love, which is full of spiritual germs; worldly love, which is apparent, formal, hypocritical, and without depth; spiritual love, which is true, pure, genuine love. This love is immortal and remains “now and forever.”
– How will I know, Elder, if I ever got to know true love?
– To figure it out, you have to ask yourself if you love all people equally and if you consider all people better than you.
– Elder, my love for God and for my neighbor has faded away.
– Sow the little love you have so that love can grow and bloom again, and then you can reap love. Then you will sow the love you have reaped, and little by little your barn will be filled with love and you will have nowhere to put it because the more you sow love, the more it grows. Let’s say a farmer has a bag of seed and sows it. Then he reaps it and fills a large bag. If he sows what he has in the bag, he will fill a sack with seeds. And when you gather a lot of seed and then he sows it, he will have a barn full of seeds. Whereas, if he keeps the seed in the bag and does not sow it, the seeds will decay. You have to throw the seed in the ground to germinate, grow and bear fruit.
So, I mean, it can be done with love. In order for love to grow, you must give it. But whoever does not give even the little love he has, it is as if he has a generous seed, but he keeps it and does not show it. This is the wicked slave who hid the talent.
You will receive the love you have offered. If you do not give love, you will not receive love. You see, the mother constantly gives to her children but constantly takes from her children, and her love constantly increases. When we ask for the love of others exclusively for ourselves and we want everyone to give us and, when we do something good, we expect an immediate reward, we do not have true love. Then we move away from God and do not receive love either from God or from people.
Those who have worldly love quarrel over who can grab more love for themselves. But those who have spiritual and genuine love argue over who should give more love to the other. They love without thinking whether they are loved or not loved by others nor do they ask others to love them. They want to give and be given without wanting to give and be given. These people are loved by everyone, but most of all by God, with Whom they are related.
Love without rewards! Do not do good deeds just to receive blessings. We must cultivate true love, which God has, and not the cheap worldly love, which has every human weakness.
– Elder, I find it difficult to give my love where it will not be appreciated.
– You do not have real love, that’s why you have a hard time. Whoever has true love does not care if they appreciate his love or not. He does not even remember the sacrifice he makes for his neighbor because he makes it out of pure love.
– How can I, Elder, forget what I have offered?
– Cast your bread upon the waters… That way you will forget it. You will also forget the harm they did to you. In this way, you will gain spiritual wealth without even realizing it.
Saint Paisios of Athos
