NOTES for Co1 13:1-7
Today's reading from the Epistle to the Corinthians is often called the hymn to love. The apostle Paul tells us that without love nothing has meaning. In the opening verses he describes utterly astonishing gifts: speaking in the tongues of angels, the gift of prophecy, faith able to move mountains... How wonderful! But without love... Let us consider what becomes of all these gifts without love. Speaking in tongues? But with whom would one speak without love? Without love, it simply makes no sense to speak either with people or, still less, with angels. Moving mountains? To what end? Just like that, for aesthetic effect? For lack of anything else to do? Without love, moving mountains would be an utterly meaningless occupation. Love is the only thing that gives meaning to every gift and every action. And the most frightening thing is that love cannot be “invented” or summoned up in one's heart by artificial means... Let us ask the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts of stone into living hearts of flesh and to grant us love.