Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, let’s focus on the word “love.”

Much has been written about the word. An internet search yields more than 14 billion searchable results. And the quotes and sayings about love are equally as numerous. From “Love makes the world go around” to “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all” the list goes on and on. Love is undoubtedly the most powerful of all human emotions.

We all know the wonderful feelings that wash over us when someone tells us or shows us that they love us. We feel a sense of being, of belonging, of importance. It affirms that our lives have value and that we truly matter to someone. The same is true when we express love to someone else. Not only does the recipient benefit, but we, too, feel better about ourselves for the kind words we have expressed or the deeds done for the benefit of someone else.

But are we willing to be unconditional with our love? Are we willing to share it regardless of the costs, real or emotional? Are we willing to offer it knowing it might not be appreciated or worse yet, that it might be rejected?

The love of Jesus was and still is unconditional. His is the type of love that understands that our frailty and weaknesses will all too often lead us astray from what is right and just – actions  that betray rather than honor his love. Despite all of this, God’s love continues, unabated.

As so eloquently stated in John, Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God … Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.

What wonderful words of advice for each of us to follow in thought, word, and deed, as we live our lives and discover new and hopefully exciting ways to demonstrate to not only family and friends, but also to complete strangers, that we accept them as they are and love them just as we are loved by Christ.

By our unconditional sharing of God’s love for us we are demonstrating our faith for all to see. And through this repeated kindness we may be encouraging those who have lost sight of God’s unconditional love to reexamine their lives and realize that they, too, can find the joy we have in knowing that God loves us, no matter what.

Maybe the substituting the word “love” into St. Ignatius’ prayer sums it up best.

“Lord, teach me to be generous; Teach me to love you as you deserve; To love and not to count the cost; To love and not to heed the wounds; To love, and not to seek for rest; To love, and not to ask for reward - except to know that I am doing your will.”

It probably is just this simple: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another.”