No sacrifice can be accepted by God unless it is the result of a free and generous love of man

"The magnificent love of God has chosen creatures to be the object of His predilection, not with an exclusive love but with a love that surpasses all human loves, a paradoxical love, which intensely loves the individual simultaneously embracing all men; a love which is not simply limitless bur rather inexhaustible and ever increasing, directing all human affections back to the source from which they came, namely God. So marvelous was this love that Christ did not come to extinguish this mutual and reciprocal love found among men but rather to purify it so all men might come to love their neighbor in the heart of God. In a most solemn moment the divine Master proclaimed love the fulfilling of the law, the synthesis of all the obligations of men. 'A new commandment I give unto you: that you love one another as I have loved you.'

The entire doctrine on love, as given by St John [of the Cross], can be reduced to three points:

1. No work, no matter how well accomplished it may be, is worthy of God if it is not permeated with charity.

2. No human love is acceptable to God, if it does not accord with the love God has for each of His creatures. 'I have given you an example, that as I have done, so you do also.'

3. The perfection of love consists in the fact that we love all men equally, in God and for God, showing to each the same love which God reserves for privileged souls.

Viewing the admonitions of St John from this point we find that his teachings are in complete accord with the teachings of Christ. He asks no sacrifice other than that asked by Christ Himself. Rather he teaches that we must love our fellow man as Christ has loved us. We know well that Christ loved men infinitely and because of this love He readily sympathized with them in all their trials and sorrows ever showing them the greatest affection and love. He loved His eternal Father more, even to the extent of not hesitating to separate Himself from he love of His creatures when the glory of His Father required it. The love of Christ for His Mother was incomparable, yet He did not hesitate to sacrifice His blood for all men even though this sacrifice of His life meant the breaking of His Mother's heart. With this double sacrifice of the Son and His Mother, Divine Providence was pleased to redeem the world. From the price demanded for the Redemption we can conclude that the moral world rests on the double column of love and sacrifice. No human act can be worthy of God unless it is accompanied by sacrifice; no sacrifice can be accepted by God unless it is the result of a free and generous love of man."

-- The Secret of Sanctity of St John of the Cross by Bl Lucas of St Joseph, ocd