Maxime le Confesseur
580-662 7th century Feast day: August 13
Love as the summit of the spiritual life, higher than all knowledge.
Who was Maxime le Confesseur?
A high Byzantine official turned monk, he defended against the emperor and much of the hierarchy that Christ has a real human will, free to love. For this refusal his tongue and right hand were cut off, and he died in exile in the Caucasus. An immense theologian of charity and freedom, he held that all things in the universe are called to return to God through love.
In their own words
Charity is a good disposition of the soul which prefers the knowledge of God to all created things.
He who loves God cannot help loving every man as himself.