English
EspañolDeeds are love … Do not pluck one daisy after another. If the relationship is all talk and no action, if he promises and never delivers … it is a bluff!
Text
“As Saint Ignatius of Loyola said, “Love is shown more by deeds than by words.” It thus shows its fruitfulness and allows us to experience the happiness of giving, the nobility and grandeur of spending ourselves unstintingly, without asking to be repaid, purely for the pleasure of giving and serving.” (The Joy of Love, n.94)
Commentary
Deeds are love and not good reasons, says an old saying, and indeed it is truthful. As the years go by, when the power of emotion has been provided, and rationality reveals our weaknesses, the need to continue loving each other through good deeds becomes more apparent, even if sometimes the mood or desire does not accompany us. Words and promises sound hollow if not accompanied by actions that reflect our best self-giving, a giving without measure.
What is the scenario for this self-giving? Ordinary life. From waking up smiling – and not grumbling -offering kind and loving gestures, caring about and tending to those we love.
We love as we are – with our laziness, tiredness, low pulse, wanting only to be left alone. Thinking that there is love only if we are vibrant, passionate, in full fervor and energy is a temptation. Let us be realistic. We are not always full of energy and fresh, nor could we be without bursting. We get tired, there are days when we feel lazy, and when we simply cannot deal with anything – we are like this. We have limits and defects. However, we also love during those days by perhaps going against ourselves with more outstanding merit and dedication. In those moments, to have a loving action – a caress, a tender gaze, an apology accompanied with a smile, or to act in favor of our beloved overcoming our laziness – is worth more than a thousand speeches on the topic of love.
