Bernard of Clairvaux

He writes, "'Why should God be loved?'...the reason for loving God is God himself."
Furthermore, "God is entitled to our love. Why?...'Because he first loved us.'"
Consider three things held in this answer:
1) who he is that loves us
2) who we are that he loves
3) how much he loves us.

"True love is precisely this: that it does not seek its own interests."

Bernard gives us four levels or degrees of love, quite similar to degrees of burning, from the lightest blister to the depth of searing the bone:
First Degree--"Love of self for self's sake"
Second Degree--"Love of God for self's sake"
Third Degree--"Love of God for God's sake"
Fourth Degree--"Love of self for God's sake."

To explain, our affections, as men of the flesh, begin with loving only those things directly benefiting or liked by ourself. When we find ourself love insufficient for survival of the spirit, we turn to God--loving him to benefit self. As we grow to know God in our experience, in worship, we begin to love him for his own goodness, his own sake. Here Bernard questions whether we can go to the fourth degree of love in this present life. To love myself for God's sake means to be of one mind and spirit with him, forgetful of self and seeing God even in me.

John tells us in his 1st letter that we will be as God is when love is perfected among us. By this we may know we are perfect in love, when we do not fear on the day of judgement, "love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment.... We love because he first loved us" (4:16-19). Lest we think we have obeyed every commandment and loved our neighbour as ourself, thus fulfilling the law, let us be reminded that God is love and no man is perfected except as our love becomes his, living in us, burning up self love, that his love may take root and grow.

feeling only side-ways hugs

"My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows
have gone over me.
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life."
Ps. 42