Ordered And Disordered Love

Ordinate in me charitatem... Eleganter locutus est, ordinate, plurimorum quippe inordinata est charitas; quando in primo loco debent diligere, diligunt in secundo: quod in secundo, diligunt in primo: et quod oportet amare quarto, amant tertio: et rursus tertium in quarto, et est in plerisque charitatis ordo perversus. Sanctorum vero charitas ordinata est. Volo ad intelligendum hoc quod dictum est, ordinate in me charitatem, aliqua exempla replicare. Te vult divinus sermo diligere patrem, filium, filiam; vult te sermo divinus diligere Christum. Nec dicit tibi, ne diligas liberos, ne parentibus charitate jungaris. Sed quid dicit? Ne inordinatam habeas charitatem, ne primum patrem, aut matrem, deinde me diligas: ne filii et filiae plus quam mei charitate tenearis. Qui amat patrem aut matrem super me, non est me dignus: qui amat filium aut filiam super me, non est me dignus. Recole conscientiam tuam de patris, matris, fratrisve affectu, et considera qualem circa sermonem Dei et Jesu habeas charitatem: statim deprehendes magis te filium et filiam diligere, quam Verbum: magis te parentes amare, quam Christum. Quis, putas, ita proficit ex nobis, ut praecipuam et primam inter omnes sermones Dei habeat charitatem, qui in secundo loco liberos ponat? Juxta hunc modum, ama uxorem tuam. Nullus quippe aliquando suam carnem odio habuit, sed amat ut carnem. Et erunt, inquit, duo in carne una, et non in uno spiritu. Ama et Deum; sed ama illum, non ut carnem et sanguinem, sed ut spiritum. Qui enim adhaeret Deo, unus spiritus est. Igitur ordinata est charitas in perfectis. Ut autem post Deum etiam inter nos ordo ponatur, primum mandatum est, ut diligamus parentes: secundum, ut filios: tertium, ut domesticos nostros. Si autem filius malus est, et domesticus bonus: domesticus in charitate filii collocetur. Et ita fiet, ut sanctorum ordinata sit charitas. Magister quoque et Dominus noster in Evangelio praecepta de charitate constituens, ad uniuscujusque dilectionem proprium aliquid apposuit, et dedit intelligentiam ordinis his qui possunt audire Scripturam dicentem: Ordinate in me charitatem. Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota mente tua, et ex tota anima tua, et ex tota virtute tua. Diliges proximum tuum, sicut teipsum: non proximum ex toto corde, ex tota anima, et ex tota virtute, et ex tota mente. Rursus, inquit: Diligite inimicos vestros: et non apposuit, ex toto corde. Non est inordinatus sermo divinus, nec impossibilia praecipit, nec dicit: diligite inimicos vestros ut vosmetipsos: sed tantum, diligite inimicos vestros; sufficit eis, quod eos diligimus, et odio non habemus. Proximum vero, ut teipsum. Porro Deum ex toto corde, et ex tota anima, et ex tota mente, et ex tota virtute. Si haec intellexeris, et intellecta compleveris, fecisti quod sponsi sermone praecipitur: Introducite me in domum vini, ordinate in me. charitatem. Origenes, In Canticum Canticorum Homilia II, Interprete Divo Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.53b-c

Order love in me... 1 It is spoken elegantly, in order, for certainly love is disordered in many, when what they should love first they love second, and what they should second they love first, and what they should love fourth, they love third, and again what they should love third they love fourth, for in most the order of love has been perverted. But the love of those who are holy is ordered. I wish this which is said, 'Order love in me,' to be understood by turning back to a certain example. The Divine word wishes you to love a father, a son, a daughter, and the Divine word wishes you to love Christ. It is not said to you, 'Do not love your children,' nor 'Do not be attached to your parents by love.' But what is said? That love should not be disordered so that you love your father and mother first and then me. Do not prefer the love of your son or daughter before me, for it is not worthy of me. 'He who loves his father and mother before me is not worthy of me. He who loves his son and daughter before me is not worthy of me.' 2 Review your conscience regarding the affection you have for your father and mother and family, and consider what sort of love you have for Jesus and the word of God. Suddenly you grasp that you love your sons and daughter more than the Word. You love your parents more than Christ. Who do you think it helps among us that love is held to be special and primary among all the words of God, which put offspring in second place? In this way love your wife. Since no one has hatred for his own flesh but he loves it as flesh. 3 'And they shall be two in one flesh,'  He says, 4 and yet not in one spirit. Love God, but do not love him as flesh and blood, but as spirit. For he who adheres to God is one spirit. This is how love is ordered in those who are perfect. Thus our own are placed in order after God. First is the commandment that we love parents, secondly our children, thirdly our household. But if a son is wicked and a slave good, the slave is placed into the love of a son. And that it should be, so it is that love is ordered in those who are holy. In the Gospel our teacher and Lord sets down a precept concerning love, that each love be applied appropriately, and He gives the reason for this order to those who are able to the hear the Scripture saying: 'Order love in me.' 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and with all your soul and with all your strength. Love your neighbour as yourself.' 5 But not your neighbour with all your heart and all your mind and with all your soul and all your strength. Again He says, 'Love your enemies,' 6 but does not add 'with all your heart.' There is no disorder in the Divine speech, nor does it teach impossible things, nor does it say, 'Love your enemies as yourself,' but only, 'Love your enemies,' It is enough for them that we love them and have no hate for them. A neighbour, however, is to be loved as oneself. And God is to be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole soul, and with the whole mind, and with all one's strength. If you understand this and have a full understanding, you will do what word of the spouse commands: 'Bring me into the house of wine, order love in me.' Origen, Commentary On The Song of Songs, from Homily 2, translated by Saint Jerome 1 Song 2.4 2 Mt 10.37 3 Ephes 5.29 4 Gen 2.24 5 Deut 6, Mt 12, Mk 12, Lk 10 6 Lk 56.35