Human Development
Degrees of love
Description:
In response to the first commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God", Bernard of Clairvaux sets out a number of degrees of love as the individual progresses in the spiritual life:1. [The first degree of love: when man loves himself for his own sake]. What is natural should be at the service of the Lord of nature, but service of nature comes first. In bodily love, man loves himself for his own sake. This is innate, but may get out of control when it must be halted by loving one's neighbour as one's self. Loving one's neighbour with purity can only be done in God. This can only happen if one loves God. This love for God is brought about through God. Tribulation arises so that no rational being should claim the gifts of the Creator for himself - man honours God as He come to his aid. So, because man loves himself, he comes to love God for his own benefit.
2. [The second degree of love: when man loves God for his own good]. Loving God for his own sake and not for God's, man avoids hurting God by recognizing what he can do only with God's help. Frequent tribulations, bringing frequent turning to God and experiencing of God's liberation and generosity, soften man's heart and bring him to love God for Himself and not only for the benefit He bestows.
3. [The third degree of love: when man loves God for God's sake]. Frequent needs bring man often to call upon God. This frequent contact brings discovery of how sweet the Lord is. Truly loving God he also loves what is God's. This chaste love means that keeping the commandments is not burdensome. It is love given freely in truth and action, giving back what it has received. Love for God is not for the good that has been received but because God is good.
4; [The fourth degree of love: when man loves himself for the sake of God]. Man's love for himself is only for God's sake. This experience is very rare in this life, it is to become like God, when human affections dissolve and are poured into the will of God. This is the state to be desired. There is no more self-will, nothing of man remains in man. It can only arise when one loves God with all one's heart, soul and strength, the power of the soul is free of ties and strengthened by the power of God. In a spiritual and immortal body, the care of the weak, physical body no longer requires attention. The soul is caught up in a love that cannot be obtained by human effort but arises through God's power.
Broader:
Love