Lewis, Nowen vs. Augustine

This week I would like to recall Lewis's reflection from "Charity" and how he was critical of Augustine's belief that we should not over-invest our love in the mortals to protect ourselves from needless hurt when we lose them but to devote our deepest love to God. Lewis would agree that our deepest love should be for God; however, he was critical of Augustine's assertion that we should be selective in how we give out our love. Lewis claimed that we should love all at all costs. Hold nothing back. Give all of your heart away to those you are near to and do not withhold love from them to protect yourself from the pain of losing that someone. Lewis's challenge to give your heart away no matter how it may hurt you in the end reminded me of an excerpt from the diary of Henri Nouwen. Nowen was a Dutch priest who wrote The Inner Voice of Love, a beautiful collection of Nowen's thoughts written during some of his life's most difficult trials. Nowen wrote about love on different occasions in his journal, one time guiding Christians what love is and what love isn't-giving everyone what they ask vs. taking care of yourself and giving people what is necessary-and what love is-loving even at the risk of being hurt with all you have. He asserted when we are hurt by someone because we chose to love them deeply we have the choice to love again or to run from loving anyone. He asserted that when we choose to love again the pain we once experienced from love allows us to love more deeply. With Nowen and Lewis I agree. Love is a theme of the Scriptures and a reason for our existence. I believe Christ took the risk to love us at the cost of rejection, humiliation and his very life. Why shouldn't we do the same for one another, even if it costs us more pain?