“…Christ is our ultimate example of self-sacrifice and unconditional love through His crucifixion and resurrection. The fact of life is that nothing comes easily. Society is always trying to find the quickest, easiest way to make money, get a beautiful body, and cater to our own personal needs. Our culture teaches us that it's best to focus on what we want rather than do for others. But people quickly realize that all blessings come through sacrifice and hard work. The path to salvation paved by Christ's sacrifice. Jesus Christ did not just resurrect, but had to endure humiliation, torture, and betrayal. Christ's crucifixion and resurrection serves as our opportunity for inheriting eternal life and becomes the ultimate lesson in humility, obedience, and unconditional love of ALL humanity.” (Eva Kokinos)
“When you say, “I love you,” if you don’t mean that you are prepared to go willingly into any situation, then you are setting borders and limits to your love. Unconditional love, imitating the love of Jesus Christ for all God’s children is what the evangelist John means in his brief letter to true Christians. It’s different from the love expressed in most pop songs, escapist novels and celebrity chatter….When we gaze upon our loving Lord Jesus on the crucifix we wear at our necks or display on the walls of our homes, we begin to realize the implications of true love. If we are not able to contemplate the response to His love in the saints, walking with Mary Magdalene and the other Myrrhbearers to the tomb on resurrection day, or with the Holy Mother of God and the very author of the words about walking in love as he did with her to watch the One they love being put to death in such an agonizing manner, we should realize that we are far from being able to understand the implications of walking in love. If that’s the case, then our definition of the love walk is nearer to what the secular world means than what the evangelist is expressing.” (Fr. Vladimir Berzonsky)
“Love is both the greatest gift as well as the greatest challenge in life. It is a challenge to love those who dislike us or who annoy us. It is a challenge to empty oneself of our own interests in order to serve someone else. It is a joy to receive unconditional love from someone. And it is a joy to express unconditional love for someone, for unconditional love is Christ-like love and any time Christ-like love is either given or received, it is a joy.” (Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis)
“Unless a child is loved, they will never know how to love and the greatest love is an unconditional love. There is a cost to love and to be loved. That cost is fidelity to those whom we are in the circle of their love so we can laugh, cry, give and accept, and sacrifice and deserve. It is here where love crowns our lives with confidence and loyalty. And with unconditional love comes the boundaries of accountability, responsibility, self-control, humility and charity along with the boundary of love to say no. Even though many of us are flawed, rejected, sorrowful or broken, God’s love never ceases. When we accept His love, we are healed physically and spiritually; for the Sacraments of our Church are an outward expression of His love. Therefore, we are to love, not only life, but those who surround us: our family. When we make choices in our relationships, based on love, we attract others who embody love, which is based also in their soul.” (Fr. George Shalhoub)
“The good news is that biblical self-acceptance does not in fact involve having to do anything at all. Biblical self-acceptance starts and finishes with God’s grace and unconditional love. Therefore, it can reach you exactly where you are, as you are, who you are. This unconditional love then becomes the basis for our desire to grow in virtue and good works.” (Robin Phillips)