COMMENT 2, Augustine 'On Loving God'

In short Reading of Bernard the word 'love' occurred 33 times.
In short Reading of Augustine the word of  'love' occurred 30 times.
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Night Office
Seventh Week of Easter Wednesday Year 1

First Reading

From the first letter of John (5:1-12)

Second Reading
From a homily on Saint John's gospel by Saint Augustine (Tract 87, 1: CCL 36,543-544)

Love* as the source of all the fruits of the Spirit is the theme of this extract from a homily given sometime between 414 and 416.[* ‘love’ 30 times].

My command to you, says the Lord, is to love one another. This is the fruit we are asked to bear, according to that other statement of his: I have chosen you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will endure. And when he adds, so that the Father may give you whatever you ask in my name, he clearly means that the Father will readily grant our requests provided that we love one another. But surely this love is his own gift to us, for he chose us while we lacked fruit of any sort — remember that it was he who chose us and not we him — and made it possible for us to bear fruit, in other words to love one another. We can never hope to bear such fruit unless he helps us with his grace — just as no branch can produce fruit unless it forms part of a living vine. Love, then, is our fruit; love that Saint Paul describes as springing from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Such is the source of our love for one another, and the source of our love for God.

Only if we love God can our love for one another be true love. If we love God, then we shall also love our neighbor as ourselves. Anyone who has no love for God has none for himself either. On the twofold precept of charity depends the whole of the law and the prophets. This love is the fruit the Lord has in mind when he says to us: My command to you is to love one another. That is why the apostle Paul, contrasting the fruits of the spirit with the works of the flesh, begins by saying: The fruit of the spirit is love, and then enumerates all the rest as though they flowed from love and looked to it as their source; they are, he says, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness, and self-control

For who can properly rejoice, if they do not love some good in which to find their joy? Who can experience true peace, if they cannot be at peace with their beloved? Who will have the patience to persevere in doing good, if they are not constantly urged onward by love's prompting? Who will show kindness if they do not love those they set out to benefit? Who will be good if they are not made so by loving? Whose faith will profit them, but those whose faith works through love? How wise was our good Master when he so persistently recommended love to us as the one thing necessary, a treasure without which all other virtues avail us nothing, yet which cannot itself be had except in company with those other qualities which perfect us in virtue.

Responsory 1 John 4:7; Sirach 15:1-2

Beloved, let us love one another,

—   for love comes from God. alleluia

Harmony in the family and love among neighbors
is most pleasing to God and to other people.

— For love comes from God. alleluia.