Here is an excerpt from my book, The Silent Master: Awakening the Power Within:
“One of my favorite writings about Love is from the Bible:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (I Corinthians 13:1-13)
Whatever your material goals are, whatever goals you eventually accomplish, if there is no Love, there is no enjoyment, there is no pleasure, there is no fulfillment. That’s because the material fulfillment of a goal is impermanent. The words of an angel, the sound of a gong or clanging cymbal – no matter how beautiful, loud, or impressive – do not last. The sound comes and quickly goes. Just so, all things material pass and are ultimately unreal as we discussed in the last chapter.”
