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"Love is long-suffering, merciful, love is not envious, love is not puffed up, is not proud" (1 Corinthians 13:4).

1. Having proved that without love there is no great profit either from faith, or from knowledge, or from prophecy, or from the gift of tongues, or from the gift of healing, or from other gifts, or even from perfect life and martyrdom, (the Apostle) describes, as was necessary, her unparalleled beauty, adorning her image, as it were, with some colors, various kinds of virtue, and carefully combining all its parts. Therefore, beloved, be attentive to what is said, and consider every word with great care, so that you may see both the perfection of the subject and the art of the painter. See where he began, and what he made the first cause of all good. What is it exactly? Long-suffering; it is the root of all love of wisdom; Wherefore also the All-Wise saith:

A patient person has a lot of intelligence, but an irritable person shows stupidity

(Proverbs 14:29) And further, comparing this virtue with a strong city, he says that it is stronger than it. It is an indestructible weapon, an unshakable pillar that easily repels all attacks. As a spark that falls into the sea does no harm to it, but is immediately extinguished, so everything unexpected, striking the long-suffering soul, soon disappears, and it is not disturbed. Long-suffering is the firmest of all; Whether you point to an army, to money, to horses, to walls, to weapons, or to anything else, nothing can compare with long-suffering. Whoever possesses anything of this kind is often overcome by anger, falls down like a weak child, and fills everything with noise and confusion; but he who is long-suffering, as if in a harbor, enjoys deep tranquillity; if thou shalt hurt him, thou shalt not move this stone; If thou shalt offend him, thou shalt not shake this pillar; if thou shalt strike him, thou shalt not crush this adamant; That is why he is called long-suffering (όυο), because he has, as it were, a long and great soul, and a long one is called great. But this virtue is born of love, and it is of great benefit to those who have acquired it and use it. Do not tell me that people who are lost, when they do evil, and do not suffer evil for it, become worse; This is not due to his long-suffering, but to those who do not use him as they should. Wherefore speak not unto me of them, but think of the more gentle men, who are greatly profited by it; When, having done evil, they do not suffer evil for it, then, marveling at the patience of the afflicted, they receive the greatest lesson of wisdom. However, (the Apostle) does not stop there, but adds other perfections of love: it is merciful, he says. Since there are people who use long-suffering, not for their own lust, but for revenge on those who offend them, tormenting themselves within themselves, he says that love has no such defect; Wherefore he adds, He is merciful. Those who love do not meekly deal with those who are aflame with anger, in order to increase the flame of anger, but in order to tame it and quench it, and not only by courageous patience, but also by pleasing and exhortation, they heal the wound and heal the wound of anger. He's not jealous. It happens that someone is patient but envious, so that his virtue loses its perfection. But love is far from that. He is not arrogant, i.e., he does not act recklessly. It makes the lover prudent, sedate, and thorough. Recklessness is characteristic of people who love shamefully; but he who loves with true love is completely free from it; When there is no anger in the heart, there can be no recklessness or insolence; Love, dwelling in the soul, as if by some skilful farmer, does not allow any of these thorns to grow. Not proud. We see that many are proud of their very virtues, that is, that they are not envious, not evil, not faint-hearted, not foolish; These vices are associated not only with wealth and poverty, but also with the kindest qualities of nature; And love completely purifies everything. Note, He who is long-suffering is not always merciful; but if he is not merciful, his good quality becomes a vice and may turn into remembrance; but love, by giving whirl, i.e. charity, keeps virtue pure. Likewise, the merciful one is often frivolous; But love corrects this defect as well. "

Love

", says, "

He is not arrogant, he is not proud

". The merciful and long-suffering are often proud; But love destroys this vice as well.