"We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable. When one asks, Why should I love God? he may mean, What is lovely in God? or What shall I gain by loving God? In either case, the same sufficient cause of love exists, namely, God Himself."
— Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) · Abbot of Clairvaux"The same sufficient cause of love exists, namely, God Himself."
— Bernard of Clairvaux · Two questions. One answer. The reward is the Rewarder.✦ God Himself
Two questions. One answer. What is lovely in God? God Himself. What do I gain by loving God? God Himself. The answer and the reward are the same. Bernard and Mamãe Consuelo arrived at the same place — eight centuries apart: A recompensa de Deus é o próprio Deus, e somente Ele.
"And first, of His title to our love. Could any title be greater than this, that He gave Himself for us unworthy wretches? And being God, what better gift could He offer than Himself? Hence, if one seeks for God's claim upon our love here is the chiefest: Because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)."
— Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153)✦ The Title Established Before the Response
His title — His claim, His right to be loved — is not based on our response. It is based on His initiative. He loved first. He gave first. He came first. The midnight hospital in Lubbock. The persistent knocking on the closed door. The sun that rises whether anyone notices. The title was established before the debtor knew she owed.
"For who is He that loved? The same of whom every spirit testifies: 'Thou art my God: my goods are nothing unto Thee' (Psalm 16:2). And is not His love that wonderful charity which 'seeketh not her own'? (1 Corinthians 13:5).
But for whom was such unutterable love made manifest? The apostle tells us: 'When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son' (Romans 5:10). So it was God who loved us, loved us freely, and loved us while yet we were enemies.
And how great was this love of His? St. John answers: 'God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son' (John 3:16). St. Paul adds: 'He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all' (Romans 8:32); and the Son says of Himself, 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends' (John 15:13)."
— Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153)✦ Three Questions, Three Answers
Who loved? — The God who needs nothing. Psalm 16:2: my goods are nothing unto Thee. He did not love from lack. He loved from overflow. Bowen's sun that exists only to dispense.
Whom did He love? — Enemies. Romans 5:10. Not the deserving, not the seeking, not even the neutral. Even the one who had resolved to yield nothing. God loved freely and loved while yet we were enemies.
How much? — John 3:16. His only-begotten Son. Romans 8:32. He spared not. John 15:13. Greater love has no man. The fullest possible measure. Nothing held back. The complete self-giving of God. The unutterable love made manifest — too great for language, spoken in blood.
"It was God who loved us, loved us freely, and loved us while yet we were enemies."
— Bernard of Clairvaux · A God who needs nothing loved enemies who deserved nothing with a love that spared nothingGod Himself
The answer to both questions is the same. What is lovely in God? God Himself. What shall I gain? God Himself. Nothing more reasonable. Nothing more profitable. The reward is the Rewarder.
His Title
God's claim upon our love is His initiative. He first loved us. The title was established before the response. The gift preceded the gratitude.
Who, Whom, How Much
A God who needs nothing loved enemies who deserved nothing with a love that spared nothing. Three answers that leave no room for doubt.