Reflection:

When Jesus says, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” it implies that we can only love others rightly if we know how to love ourselves rightly. In this regard, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux has written something helpful about loving ourselves:

In the first degree of love, we learn to love ourselves for our own sake.

In the final degree of love, we learn to love ourselves for God’s sake.

The first degree of love — love of self for self’s sake — is a natural love for ourselves. 2 Timothy 3:2-4 talks about this kind of love, “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive…” This love wants everything that the self wants, for the increase of the self.

The final degree of love — love of self for God’s sake — comes when we truly see ourselves as children of God. We don’t love ourselves because we have performed well or because we deserve love. We love ourselves because we see that God takes an interest in us, God finds we are enjoyable, and God believes we can do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

Prayer:

Dear Father, may you teach me to love and care for myself in the right ways for your sake, so that, as a follower of Christ, I can love others rightly. Love is a precious gift of yours. May the love you give me do wonders in my life and the lives of people around me.