"As much as you love your worst enemy this is the measure of your love for God." St Isaac the Syrian

Wow! How do we measure our love of God? Not how many prayers we say or how much fasting we do or how much penance we undertake. The measuring stick of love is reflected in the Scriptures in the parable of the Good Samaritan. He reached out to care for an injured Israelite, whom he would avoid as an enemy. But his love of God was greater than his human, cultural thinking. God made the measure of our love for him very clear, when he commanded us to love our enemies, to do good to those who injured us, to forgive those who speak badly about us. Why? Because he, who is love, loves those who have wronged him. When we were enemies of God because of our sins, Jesus showed his love by dying for us that we may live eternally. If we are grateful to God, then we will love our enemies.