To pray for those who are in mortal sin is the best kind of almsgiving–a much better thing than it would be to loose a Christian whom we saw with his hands tied behind him, bound with a stout chain, made fast to a post and dying of hunger, not for lack of food, since he has beside him the most delicious things to eat, but because he cannot take them and put them into his mouth although he is weary to death and actually knows that he is on the point of dying, and not merely a death of the body, but one which is eternal. Would it not be extremely cruel to stand looking at such a man and not give him this food to eat? And supposing you could loose his chains by means of your prayers? You see now what I mean. For the love of God, I beg you always to remember such souls when you pray.

—Interior Castle

St. Teresa’s teaching here would be very unpopular in today’s western culture. She actually had the audacity to believe that it is not love to encourage everyone to do their own thing because we typically choose things that lead to death, not life (the human condition). What is worse, she had the audacity to believe that love is made manifest in desiring the best for the other, and the best is Jesus Christ. One can hear the politically correct squealing with righteous indignation! O, the intolerance of it all!

But I ask you. If Jesus Christ really is who he says he is, if he really is the only way to the Father, then who is demonstrating real love here? The one who prays that God will lead people out of their darkness and into his light or those who encourage us to do our own thing, all in the name of tolerance and freedom?

How are you doing in your love for others?