Commandments And Love

Sed quaerit Gregorius primo de hoc quod dicit: Hoc est praeceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem: Cum cuncta divina eloquia dominicis sint plena praeceptis, quid est, quod de dilectione singulariter dicit: Hoc est praeceptum meum.? Et respondet, quod divina praecepla multa sunt et unum: multa per diversitatem operis, unum in radice dilectio . Et dilectionem radicem dicit, quia non habet viriditatem ramusculus boni operis, nisi manserit in radice dilectionis. Quia ergo mandata ad praeceptum dilectionis referuntur, in quo omnia uniuntur et implentur; inde est, quod dicit: Hoc est praeceptum meum, singulariter. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput XV Source: Here, p451

Concerning this Gregory asks why He said, 'This is my commandment, that you love one another,' 1 when the whole of the Divine speech is full of commandments, and so why should He especially say of love, 'This is my commandment?' And he answers that there are many Divine commandments and there is one, that is, there are many though the diversity of works and one in the root of love. And He speaks of the root when he says that the little branch of a good work does not have greenness, unless it remains in the root of love. 1 Therefore He refers the commandments to the precept of love, in which all things are united and fulfilled, and this is why He says, 'This is my commandment,' especially. Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 15 1 Jn 15.12, Greg Great Hom In Evang 2.27.1 2 Jn 15.5