Not many important words in the English language are as over-used and as
abused as“love,” which is, according to one pop song, “just a
four-letter word.” Each of us knows how powerful the word can be in the
right context, used in the right way, with truthfulness behind it. But
we also know how trite, how meaningless, how deceitful “the l-word” can
be. Who knows what the Beatles meant when they chanted repeatedly, “It’s
easy. All you need is love.” What kind of love? Love for whom? Love
from whom? What they meant was “to learn how to feel inside,” which is
essentially different from the love Christ embodies.
Even in contemporary Christianity, ”love” has often been overused to the point of being trite and virtually meaningless. To say, “God loves you” can be a highly significant statement. But to repeat it endlessly and mindlessly, and without explaining the nature of this love and what it demands in response, can be misleading and at worst, spiritually deadening. Long ago have I learned that among Christians and in pop culture at large, repeatedly speaking of “love, love, love” can be used as a cover for deceit and foolishness. A sentence such as “God loves you just as you are” can be both profound and dangerously misleading. If it is taken to mean, “Because God loves you just as you are, there is no reason to repent, to change, to get your act together” the teaching is destructive of any true life. Those who say, “Just love him, forgive him, forget it, and and move on,” are perhaps seeking to hide their own wrong-doing from the light of truth. Love and forgiveness can, simply stated, be used to cover up wrong-doings and leave serious evils unaccounted for, uncorrected; and worse, leave the human being unrepentant and unchanged. Hence, I try to avoid over-using “love-talk” in homilies and in teaching.
And then we have the second reading and the Gospel proclaimed this morning. On a quick glance, I counted some twenty uses of “love” (and the related word, “friend”) in these two short readings. The love-word appears to be over-used, to say the least. In the case of the evangelist John, however, “love” (agape, philia) is profound, for the rich meaning flows from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Such love is highly costly--costing God his own “Beloved.” This “love” is no mere feeling or desire, but self-giving action on behalf of others. To love someone in this sense means to seek his or her eternal well-being, true and lasting happiness; to love means to spend oneself for the other’s life in God and growth in holiness into eternity. Love sacrifices, love often hurts the one who loves. For love indeed contains agony and ecstasy. To love another in truth is to give of oneself even to death. True love costs you everything, and brings God.
Even in contemporary Christianity, ”love” has often been overused to the point of being trite and virtually meaningless. To say, “God loves you” can be a highly significant statement. But to repeat it endlessly and mindlessly, and without explaining the nature of this love and what it demands in response, can be misleading and at worst, spiritually deadening. Long ago have I learned that among Christians and in pop culture at large, repeatedly speaking of “love, love, love” can be used as a cover for deceit and foolishness. A sentence such as “God loves you just as you are” can be both profound and dangerously misleading. If it is taken to mean, “Because God loves you just as you are, there is no reason to repent, to change, to get your act together” the teaching is destructive of any true life. Those who say, “Just love him, forgive him, forget it, and and move on,” are perhaps seeking to hide their own wrong-doing from the light of truth. Love and forgiveness can, simply stated, be used to cover up wrong-doings and leave serious evils unaccounted for, uncorrected; and worse, leave the human being unrepentant and unchanged. Hence, I try to avoid over-using “love-talk” in homilies and in teaching.
And then we have the second reading and the Gospel proclaimed this morning. On a quick glance, I counted some twenty uses of “love” (and the related word, “friend”) in these two short readings. The love-word appears to be over-used, to say the least. In the case of the evangelist John, however, “love” (agape, philia) is profound, for the rich meaning flows from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Such love is highly costly--costing God his own “Beloved.” This “love” is no mere feeling or desire, but self-giving action on behalf of others. To love someone in this sense means to seek his or her eternal well-being, true and lasting happiness; to love means to spend oneself for the other’s life in God and growth in holiness into eternity. Love sacrifices, love often hurts the one who loves. For love indeed contains agony and ecstasy. To love another in truth is to give of oneself even to death. True love costs you everything, and brings God.
