When Jesus came on earth He embodied love in a way that can transform anyone who follows the Way He taught.
Here are a selection of quotations that remind us of the love that is central to Jesus’ teaching and also show that this theme is found in other world religions.
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
–1 John 4: 7-8 “
Of how great importance it is to have a just (or proper) idea of God may appear from the consideration that the idea of God forms the inmost of thought with all who have any religion.”
–Emanuel Swedenborg, Divine Love and Wisdom 13
“Love is the mystery of divine revelations! Love is the effulgent manifestation! Love is the spiritual fulfillment! Love is the light of the Kingdom! Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit inspired into the human spirit! Love is the cause of the manifestation of the Truth (God) in the phenomenal world! Love is the necessary tie proceeding from the realities of things through divine creation!”
–`Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of `Abdu’l-Bahá v3[1]
“[Allah] is the Forgiving and Loving.”
–Qur’an 85:14
“Jehovah God is Love itself and Wisdom itself, or Good itself and Truth itself.”
–Emanuel Swedenborg, True Christian Religion 3
“Be fearless and pure; never waver in your determination or your dedication to the spiritual life. Give freely. Be self-controlled, sincere, truthful, loving, and full of the desire to serve....Learn to be detached and to take joy in renunciation. Do not get angry or harm any living creature, but be compassionate and gentle; show good will to all. Cultivate vigor, patience, will, purity; avoid malice and pride. Then, you will achieve your destiny.”
–Bhagavad Gita
“O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
–Psalm 139:3
“Where love is, there God is also.”
–Mohandas Gandhi
“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness. The important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.”
–Dalai Lama
