THE SUNDAY OF THE TRANSFIGURATION
February 14, 2021
“Love Here, Love There, Love All Around”
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (I Corinthians 13:4-8a)
The past few weeks have been filled with hearts and flowers and an endless parade of suggestions of how to show your love to that special person on Valentine’s Day. Although modern traditions share a name with a martyred bishop of the ancient church, there’s more legend than history in stories about this individual. However, we can enjoy expressing our love to friends and family with gifts and cards, brightening and warming the gloomy, cold days of mid-February.
“Love Is the Way” by Bishop Michael Curry, is filled with insights on love, and within a few pages, he includes the well-known verses from I Corinthians under the heading, “Love Is Rules for Living.” Although the “love chapter” is often read at weddings, and, as a guide for a married couple, offers excellent advice, it was not originally written with that intent. The Apostle Paul spent his life traveling, teaching, preaching, and establishing communities of faith, including in the little Greek seaport of Corinth. But problems had arisen, and Paul received word of bad behavior, dissension, selfishness and disrespect within the congregation.
As we read what love is and is not, it’s obvious that these well-chosen words cover most aspects of human behavior. It all seems so clear, but, of course, as humans, we’re very good at muddying the waters. Our English language is very limited, in that we have only one word for love, and yet there are so many kinds of love that we end up fumbling around as we attempt to express ourselves. The Greek language (the primary language of the New Testament) has three words for love — eros, romantic love; philia, brotherly, or familial love; and agape, a love which seeks the good and well-being of others, society and the world.
Whether or not you’re familiar with these terms, Bishop Curry points out that we’ve likely experienced agape throughout our lives. It comes to us through people who have supported you, helped you along the way, and believed in you. They may never have said they loved you — but their love took the form of action, and it made a difference in your life. The lessons we learn from love in action often help us find ways to act on behalf of others.
The active nature of love (the verb) is found throughout the Bible, but John 3:16 tells us of the greatest love: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son . . .” This is the living, breathing personification of God’s love, and not just for a select few, but for all people over all time, and in all places. And he loved the world itself, his own creation, which is shared by all. That is agape beyond our human understanding, but as we have been given the gift of faith, we humbly accept our Father’s love.
Filled with joy to love and be loved,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers