Productivity Over Love

My housemate, Brian, left for Sports Camp yesterday, a Courage event for men who deal with wounds related in some way to sports and teamwork. Now I have more time to myself, more time to be “productive.” But is that really better for me?

To will the good of the other is how we in the Catholic Church define love. To will my own good is self-love. So is it better for me to be alone and more productive, or to be with around someone who wills my good but distracts me from being productive?

Sirach 42:18 “... He plumbs the depths and penetrates the heart; their innermost being he understands...”

I do not always know what is best for me, as there are varying degrees of goodness. If I ponder what is most good for me, which I do, I am almost certain that Jesus wants this loving friendship “good” for me alongside, and in some instances more than, He wants me to grow in knowledge and understanding of Him.

As I wrote, I heard in my mind that loving another person IS growing in knowledge and understanding of Jesus, especially in a brotherly relationship with someone who is also pursuing holiness.

What a massively important accomplishment it is to love another person, to will their good above my own wants and desires. Knowledge of Jesus and love of Him without loving His people is not enough and is incomplete.

Human-Written, AI Spell-Checked 5/27/21 AD

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