How much the Lord values it when we love one another! After all, the good Jesus could have mentioned other reasons and said: "Forgive us, Lord, because we do great penance, because we pray a lot, because we fast, because we have left everything for you and love you immensely." He did not even say: "Forgive us because we are willing to sacrifice our lives for you" and similar things, but only: "Forgive us, as we also forgive."
(Teresa of Jesus, The Way of Perfection XXXVI,7)