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Another important feature of our proclamation of the Lord is to win others by power of love and attraction. This was the force that attracted people to Jesus during his ministry, as a result of the power of the Holy Spirit in him. Peter and John were attracted to Jesus when they encountered him after hearing about John the Baptist's testimony, Immediately they saw Jesus, they followed him and he further invited them to come and see more. The power of the Spirit in Christ was the reason for this attraction.
Undoubtedly, there is a beauty of soul and body about those living in the Spirit that radiates the same invitation for people to come to Christ. As Christians, we should desire charisms that will help others come to Christ and for the upbringing of the Church. In his writing about charisms, Paul considers love as the most important charism that should be sought by all Christians.
It goes without any iota of doubt that love is a very important possession for Christians growing in the Spirit. Love should be the way of life for them, because the power of love enables Christians to be patient, kind, self-seeking, and so bear true witness.
The Scripture speaks of love in many ways, for instance, St Paul in his letters, conceived of love as:
the way of Christian life, the fruit of the Spirit, the expression of our faith and the nature of God, (l Corinthians
13: I; Galatians 5:22 5:6; I John 4:8).
Also, Jesus, the incarnate Son of God is a fruit of love: John puts it this way
"Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that anyone, who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life" (John 3:16).
It goes without saying that all charisms should spring from love and love should be the fruit of all activities of the Holy Spirit. Therefore anyone growing in the Spirit must possess love and the spirit of love should animate all that the Christian does. The possession of love brings out the attraction in Christians such that his actions will be pleasing to people.
When a Christian receives the Spirit, he receives the accompanying gifts and when these gifts are put to daily use, they increase our love for Christ and make us more available to helping people with the gifts. For instance, when a Christian heals the sick, speaks in tongues, teaches with words of wisdom or prophecy; the exercise of these gifts should increase the love the Christian has for God and makes the Christian more attractive to people. Love is thus the fruit of these charisms of the Spirit. It is possible for Christians to exercise these gifts without love and this is why it is very necessary to see love as the basis for these gifts. According to Paul, it is very possible for Christians to
speak in tongues, prophesy, move mountains by faith, and even suffer persecution without love. For Paul, performing such actions without love is a fruitless exercise of gifts.
Love is therefore, a far greater reality in our lives as Christians than the exercise of the charisma. The Spirit has a way of instilling love in our hearts in the exercise of charism, especially when we are open to him. St Paul notes,
"God's love is poured forth in our hearts by the Spirit who has been given to us "(Romans 5:5).
Also, the commandment of love of God is called the first, or the greatest or even the commandment by which, one attains eternal life, (Matthew 22:34; Mark 12:28; Luke I :25). The unique interpretation given by Jesus to the love commandment was his insistence on the interior bond between love of God and love of people. There are not two love, but one and so what is done to one's neighbor is done to Christ, (Matthew 25:40-45), Love is therefore, the clear sign of empowerment of the Holy Spirit, the fulfillment of the law and the basis for etemal life; the
absence of love is eternal condemnation. An important aspect of the commandment of love, which is the demand for the love of one's enemy, seems to be difficult for Christians to accomplish but it is possible. Loving God and neighbor is an extremely high ideal; even more challenging is the love of enemies. Admittedly, it is not an easy task! But, the embracing of love as demanded by Christ is the basis for growth in the Spirit.
GOD BLESS YOU