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January 17

The Power of Love

When compared with various forms of power—political, institutional, or ideological—love seems to be so weak. But love’s power lies in its ability to create a different way of being that leads to goodness and wholeness.

While some wish to contrast love and power—making love powerless and power powerful—love is a form of power. Love has an effect. Love does make an impact. Love does have the power to do, to achieve, to create, to move people forward. And while negative forms of power may also move people, but at a great cost in terms of goodness and well-being, love has its own way. It has its own unique form of power that moves others to well-being.

William of St. Thierry reminds us that: “The art of arts is the art of love.”17 Love, therefore, is the greatest creativity.

Put differently, the greatest wisdom one can achieve is the wisdom of love. The greatest skill one can develop is the ability to love well—that brings empowerment and wholeness to others. And the greatest quality one can have is to be a loving person.

While we may want to celebrate a person’s position, role, possessions, and popularity, these things are never the most important. Lacking in love, all that we are and do becomes hollow, and at the end of the day results in a descent into fruitlessness. Love, on the other hand, can move people to great well-being and to do the noblest acts and the greatest deeds.

Thought

Love fructifies. It brings life to desert places and hope to despair.