Ok, I think I understand now. For simplicity sake then just start with what Petrosius posted in 175. I regret posting the list I did to you now; it seems to be confusing the issue. I just wanted to be sure to “get it all out there” so to speak.
Just start with love of God really. Then everything else flows from that. It’s only reasonable.
Love God with all your heart and mind and being, and love your neighbor as yourself. On these, rest the entirety of the Law. That is as true today as it was 2000 years ago. It obviously necessitates understanding “What is Love?”
That’s a pretty basic question that often gets overlooked in all these debates. But you have to start there. To understand what God wants from you, and what He wants to give you.
How can we understand what God wants from us, and what He wants to give us? God is Love, we know that, therefore we must start by asking, “What is love?” But is it that difficult to know?
Indeed, what does it mean to “love someone”, in our own, human experience?
Do you say to your wife, “I love you” and that’s enough? No, of course not. You know you love her because you want everything good for her, over your own concerns. You want to know everything there is to know about her too.
Does a loving husband say to his wife, “I love you” and that is it? Does he not also want to know her favorite food for breakfast? Does he also want to know what is her favorite color? What are her opinions on politics, and on the afterlife? Does he also not want to know these things too about her? Of course he tries to KNOW these things, because he loves her.
It is this kind of love we are talking about, that God wants to give to US, and we should want to give to HIM. Thus, will it suffice to say, “I love you God” and leave it at that? Should we not expect to see in ourselves a need to know everything there is to know about Him, and to be sure we do? Of course we should expect that. Otherwise, to say “I love you God” has no meaning.
Does a husband say to his wife “I love you”, yet does nothing for her? Does he not buy her roses sometimes “just because”? Does he not wake up to feed their crying baby, so that she may sleep? Does he not protect her from harm? Does he not provide her a roof over her head? Praise for things she has done for him? Of course he DOES these things, and it is not burdensome for him to do it, because he loves her, not because he expects anything in return.
This is the kind of love that fulfills the law, every jot and tittle. Not that the Law saves, but the love for God is what saves. A love that says “yes” I will seek to KNOW as much as I can about You, and DO things for you God, not because I expect anything in return, but because I, Love, YOU.
So I exhort you brother, to go and discover as much as you can about the one you love, and do as much as you can for Him. It’s the only way “love” has any meaning. It’s the only path to salvation. He already knows you. Just love Him back as best as you can in your broken humanity. In every sense of the word “love” as exemplified above.
He doesn’t care how wrong you get things all the time, He only loves you. In every sense of the word “love” as exemplified above. We can’t be as perfect as Him ever, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we love Him as much as we are able, in our broken humanity.
Remember, He came to US, as a Man, we aren’t expected to come to Him, as if we are a god. He only expects us to love us as much as any human being can.
This means, therefore, that we needn’t look for any complicated, high-minded theological “way” to God. We only need to love Him like we love our wives (or husbands). As described above. Just more than even them. If we do that, the theology flows FORTH from that, because Love CREATES.
It’s not that the theology is a requirement for salvation, in of itself. It’s only a “requirement” in the sense that it’s a RESULT of an intense love for God, a love as described above. So you have to start there, with the origin of salvation, which is love of God above all others. Then it’s all a natural result. Then nothing I’ve listed or any Catholic has listed is a burden at all. It’s just a by-product, really, of loving God, a “requirement” only insomuch as it’s impossible to NOT believe such things, to not DO such things, if one loves God as described above. As a husband loves his wife. This is the Catholic claim.
It’s not that complicated.