All you need is love; love is all you need!
Recognize the lyrics from that Beatles classic? All we really need is love.
Who do we love? What do we love? Do we catch ourselves using the word love for almost everything?
The same word we use to express our love to our spouse, our children, our grandchildren and our dear friends we use when talking about many things.
Here is a list of things I know that I have said I love:
The Saints (geaux Saints), sports, politics, all things LSU, food, ice cream, riding my tractor, traveling, the fall, cool weather, a good book, the mountains, writing, watching old shows on TV Land, a great movie, old songs from the 70’s, the Deadliest Catch, Abita Springs. Get the point?
I love my ministry, especially here at St. Jane’s, baptizing babies, helping a couple and ministering at the prison.
What do you love? How would your list look if I asked you to list anything you have said you love?
As people of faith, do we truly love? Do we know what love is and what it is not?
St. Paul has done just that for us in today’s second reading. His letter to the people of Corinth, written around the year 56, just 23 years after the Resurrection, was a response to deep divisions among the Christian faithful of that community. He tells what love is: patient, kind, it rejoices with the truth, it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. And St. Paul tells us what love is not: it is not jealous, pompous, inflated, rude, it is not seeking self interest, quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing. And then he concludes with that beautiful 3 word sentence: Love never fails!
St. Paul knew that the Corinthians needed to hear this message of love to heal the wounds of sin and division, to reestablish a Christian sense of community and to focus their prayer and worship on God. Today, this beautiful reading has become a center piece at many Catholic weddings. It’s a good fit. It’s a beautiful message for the bride and groom to hear. It’s equally important for the greater community to hear as well.
If St. Paul was writing a letter to the community in Abita Springs, would he have to instruct us on love? Would he believe that all of us have made a strong commitment to love?
Do we love the difficult to love? Can we say we love the angry or disinterested spouse, the parent who we believe is too mean, a disobedient child, a boss who places unreasonable demands and expectations on us? And who have we decided is unlovable? Can we love the homeless, the marginalized, the families that stand in line at the food bank, those on welfare, the immigrant, the convicted felon (I know something about this), our national enemies, the separated black sheep of the family, people of different faiths, nationalities or race?
Perhaps we should understand that in the Christian tradition, influenced by the Greek language, love is expressed in different words, three of which I want to explore: eros, philia and agape. Eros is the “I’m in love” kind of love. It’s romantic love. It’s love heavily dependent on feelings. Eros can be fickle, as it requires feelings, emotions and circumstances to be in harmony. Philia we should recognize as the root for Philadelphia. In our country we refer to Philadelphia as the city of brotherly love. Philia is the love of friendship, fellowship, our fellow man. We too can say that sometimes, friendships are subject to feelings, emotions and circumstances. But St. Paul’s exhortation on love is agape love. Agape is love freely given with no expectation, none whatsoever, of anything being given in return. Agape says my love is for you and I expect nothing. Agape love is two arms outstretched on the cross, for you and me, to share eternal life with God in Heaven. Agape love is God sending Jesus in the first place, remember John 3:16. Agape love is Jesus’ command to love our enemies; love them and do not persecute them; Luke 6:35. Agape love is the love that sends us to the poor boxes or to the people of Haiti; it is the love of God within that allows me to take care of the brother in need; 1 John 3:17.
This love; agape love, is why we support the benefit dinner today in St. Joseph Hall, for a family so totally in need of our love today. This love is why we continue to give from our heart to the people of Haiti. This love is why I and others who assist me go to the prison as others go to hospitals and nursing homes as well.
In addition to supporting the benefit today, show your agape this week by reflecting on your love for those you easily love and those you find difficult to love. Love an enemy this week; may I suggest the Indianapolis Colts as an example!
Spend some time this week in reading John’s Gospel, called by many the Gospel of love or John’s 1st letter, especially verse 4:8 where we read, Deus Caritas Est: God is Love. Reread this passage in the week ahead. And when you do, see if you can change the word “love” to your name. (Mike is patient, Mike is kind…).
The Beatles were right; all you need is love; eros, philia and agape.
Agape love: loving unconditionally expecting nothing in return.
I love it!!!
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