Americans, you may give your goods to feed the poor, 
you may bestow great gifts to charity 
and you may tower high in philanthropy 
but if you have not love, your charity means nothing. 
You may even give your body to be burned and die, 
die the death of a martyr, 
and your spilled blood may be a symbol of honor, 
for generations yet unborn, 
and thousands may praise you as one of history's supreme heroes. 
But even so, if you have not love, 
your blood is spilled in vain. 

You must come to see that a man may be self-centered 
in his self-denial and self-righteous in his self-sacrifice. 
His generosity may feed his ego, and his piety his pride. 
Without love, benevolence becomes egotism and 
martyrdom becomes spiritual pride. 
The greatest of all virtues is love.