Expert: Fr. Michael - 5/31/2009

Question
Dear Fr
My question is about the love of God. Some people say that love is a free choice. one decides whether or not to love God, and how much to love Him. But it seems incorrect to me. because one cannot force himself to love God if it dosen't naturaly come to him. Suppose one day you wake up and say:" today I decide to love Jesus this much."
My question: If charity is really a free choice and a decision, what is the difference between when it flows from the heart and when we induce (force) our selves to love?

Answer
Yes, it is a free choice.  The error in your understanding is that you don't understand what love is in this context.  Love is an act of the will, not an emotion.  People do things every day by an act of will, whether they "feel like it" or not.  As Our Lord says in today's Gospel from St. John (for Pentecost Sunday):  "If anyone love me, he will keep my word."  Keeping Christ's word, that is, the Commandments and related morality, is an act of will.  You have a responsibility to do that, whether you "feel like it" or not.  Maybe you "feel like" murdering your mother, but you don't do it because you "force yourself" (to use your words) to obey the Commandments.