Absence Hones Formation (Martyrdom of Love)
The doctrine that the most painful suffering arises not from external adversaries but from within the love-relation between two who love each other deeply — “the more two persons love each other, the more painful those pains become which arise from between themselves” — making the martyrdom-of-love both the measure and the evidence of love’s depth, inherent to the love and uncorrectable by spiritual maturity. (E)
Anchors: Song of Songs 5:6-8; Song of Songs 2:5; Hosea 11:8; John 11:33-35 — Appearances: 8. Full Registry entry.