Love Made Manifest in the Church

Love does indeed renew the one who hears, or rather obeys, its command; but only that love which Jesus distinguished from a natural love by the qualification: “As I have loved you.” From the entire human race throughout the world this love fathers together into one body a new people, to be the bride of God’s only Son. White indeed are her garments, for she has been made new; and the source of her renewal is none other than this new commandment. And so all her members make each other’s welfare their common care. They love one another as God loves them so that they may be brothers and sisters of his only Son.

—Augustine, Treatise 65 on John