What is being said when we say 'God is Love?'

A few weeks ago I wrote about some words or phrases that we use so often that they lose their impact.  For example, “I love you.”  
In this offering I would like to reflect on another phrase that we use without really engaging what it means.  The phrase that I refer to is, “God is Love.”
We have probably been uttering that since second grade or maybe even sooner.  But do we realize what is actually being said?  
I love my sister.  It is something that I do.  It is not intrinsic to me; it is not essential to who I am.  It is something I do, but it is not something I am.  I cannot imagine not loving her, but that is not the point of this reflection.  In theory I could stop loving her.  When we utter, “God is Love,” we are saying that God does not love us.  Rather, He is love.  The way He loves us is different from the way we love.  He cannot stop loving because it is who/what He is.  It is essential to His identity.  There is nothing we can do that would cause God to stop loving us, because it is not something He does. Certainly we can reject His love; we can reject a relationship with Him and God will respect that.
The other dimension to reflect on is that when we love, in some way we make God present.  If God is love, and St. John tells us in the Bible that He is (1 Jn 4:8) then when we love someone we make God present.  In a world that is sometimes enamored by the darkness it is nice to remember that even in the darkness God is Love.  We cooperate with that truth too.  It is our love that helps to make God even more present.  We make the Kingdom of God come by loving one another as He has loved us! 
— Pat Arensberg is the Director of the Office for Evangelization and Family Life. Email him at [email protected] 
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