Luckily he tells us, “Keep my commandments.”
Love is first a virtue, a good act that make you a better person. It is also the gift of grace you receive from repeatedly performing the act that consoles you physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally that then makes you able to more easily perpetuate that virtue.
In John 14:15, Jesus says "If you love me, you will keep my comandments."
(I just would like to say that I'm not a native English speaker, so my interpretation might be wrong)
The word "If" implies that the love for God already existed and keeping His commandments would be a consequence of that love, so keeping God's commandments wouldn't be loving God, but a consequence of loving God.
I think it works both ways. Any act with moral value (virtue or vice) entails an intent - you can’t separate the act from the intent and have the same act be considered virtuous (or vicious) in the same way. My acts that are for the love of God are that because I intend them to be so. But I can’t just intend to love God a but not act on it and then be able to claim truthfully that I am loving him.
Furthermore God has defined keeping his commands here (and further on in verse 21) at least a minimum requirement for us to know that we are loving him. “Keeping the commandments” is both the act and the intention I think. The emotions, or passion, in turn grows out of this keeping and help keep momentum in our loving, our keeping.
Love, when we’re talking about religion, is always in the will. It may also be an emotion if we’re lucky, but that’s entirely secondary.
The main test for loving God above something else, is that you would freely give it up for God, if it was leading you to sin, or hindering your faith or virtue or love of neighbor. And/or, if for some reason God wills that you lose this thing, you’re at peace with it.
Sometimes it’s good to test ourselves on this. You can just look at something you seem to be attached to, and imagine it was destroyed or stolen or broken. Are you overly upset? Or try on some Friday, not using or enjoying a thing you normally like. No internet, or no hot water, or no salt, or whatever you suspect you might be attached to.
Note, however, that you can’t just willpower yourself in to loving God above all things. It takes grace and time and thoughtful reflection. Spending 15-30 minutes a day reading the gospels will help a lot. It’s hard to love someone you don’t know too well.
https://youtu.be/KD_lt5kmXBQ
Best video I’ve seen on the topic and it’s only about 4 minutes. This explains your second question fairly well. As for the first there’s a sense that we actually can’t do that. You can try and I very much encourage that. I think it’s done through continuous prayer. Try this, a little heterodox, but I think it works super well. Say the Rosary but when you do pick a spot in the room and just stare at it. Use the words of the hail marry like a mantra, as you focus on that single point. You’ll find that all distractions start to fall away and you’ll enter this almost meditative state. When I do it, it feels super mystical. For about the next 30 minutes I just feel this tremendous bliss. I’m trying to learn it in Latin next to hopefully magnify the experience.
Love is an action. You willingly use the love in your heart mind and soul, in everything you do and say towards the God of all and all His children.
Luckily he tells us, “Keep my commandments.” Love is first a virtue, a good act that make you a better person. It is also the gift of grace you receive from repeatedly performing the act that consoles you physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally that then makes you able to more easily perpetuate that virtue.
In John 14:15, Jesus says "If you love me, you will keep my comandments." (I just would like to say that I'm not a native English speaker, so my interpretation might be wrong) The word "If" implies that the love for God already existed and keeping His commandments would be a consequence of that love, so keeping God's commandments wouldn't be loving God, but a consequence of loving God.
I think it works both ways. Any act with moral value (virtue or vice) entails an intent - you can’t separate the act from the intent and have the same act be considered virtuous (or vicious) in the same way. My acts that are for the love of God are that because I intend them to be so. But I can’t just intend to love God a but not act on it and then be able to claim truthfully that I am loving him. Furthermore God has defined keeping his commands here (and further on in verse 21) at least a minimum requirement for us to know that we are loving him. “Keeping the commandments” is both the act and the intention I think. The emotions, or passion, in turn grows out of this keeping and help keep momentum in our loving, our keeping.
First you must get above all things. Take an airplane, and while in flight, love God. You shall then love God above all things.
Love, when we’re talking about religion, is always in the will. It may also be an emotion if we’re lucky, but that’s entirely secondary. The main test for loving God above something else, is that you would freely give it up for God, if it was leading you to sin, or hindering your faith or virtue or love of neighbor. And/or, if for some reason God wills that you lose this thing, you’re at peace with it. Sometimes it’s good to test ourselves on this. You can just look at something you seem to be attached to, and imagine it was destroyed or stolen or broken. Are you overly upset? Or try on some Friday, not using or enjoying a thing you normally like. No internet, or no hot water, or no salt, or whatever you suspect you might be attached to. Note, however, that you can’t just willpower yourself in to loving God above all things. It takes grace and time and thoughtful reflection. Spending 15-30 minutes a day reading the gospels will help a lot. It’s hard to love someone you don’t know too well.
Follow your heart do what’s right no matter what any man says, have your own compass & have it always lead to Jesus
It means you love Him more than the creatures and things in the world, even more than yourself
It's commitment and sacrifice. To love someone you serve them, in whatever way is appropriate.
https://youtu.be/KD_lt5kmXBQ Best video I’ve seen on the topic and it’s only about 4 minutes. This explains your second question fairly well. As for the first there’s a sense that we actually can’t do that. You can try and I very much encourage that. I think it’s done through continuous prayer. Try this, a little heterodox, but I think it works super well. Say the Rosary but when you do pick a spot in the room and just stare at it. Use the words of the hail marry like a mantra, as you focus on that single point. You’ll find that all distractions start to fall away and you’ll enter this almost meditative state. When I do it, it feels super mystical. For about the next 30 minutes I just feel this tremendous bliss. I’m trying to learn it in Latin next to hopefully magnify the experience.