What's Right? What's Wrong?

The topic for this month is, appropriately, love. The word love means different things to different people. The Reverend Harry Wendt defines four different kinds of love. He writes the following: "The word love is sometimes confused with the word 'like.' Perhaps that is because the English language has only one word, 'love,' to explain a number of ideas. The Greek language, however, uses a number of terms:

Eros: Eros acts in response to an attraction in another person; it usually involves physical or sexual appeal. It is also an act of the emotions and cannot be commanded.

Philia: Has to do with companionship. It has often been called the "friendship" type of love. [For example, that is why the city of Philadelphia, taken from the Greek root word, is known as "the city of brotherly love."]

Storge (pronounced store-gay): Refers to love between family members.

Agape (pronounced ah-gah-pay): This love acts in response to a need in another person. It is an act of the will, and can be commanded. This word is used to describe God's love for mankind, and the love people are to have for one another in response." - Reverend Harry Wendt

The quotations that follow focus on agape love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man (an adult), I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - I Corinthians 13:4-13, The Bible

"We choose love by taking small steps of love every time there is an opportunity. A smile, a handshake, a word of encouragement, a phone call, a card, an embrace, a kind greeting, a gesture of support, a moment of attention, a helping hand, a present, a financial contribution, a visit- all these are little steps toward love." - Henri J.M. Nouwen

"So loving my enemies does not apparently mean thinking them nice either. That is an enormous relief. For a good many people imagine forgiving your enemies means making out that they are really not such bad fellows after all, when it is quite plain that they are." - C.S. Lewis

God's love is unconditional and people, especially children, need unconditional love. They need to be loved if they are to grow up to be loving. They need love, security, and acceptance from the very beginning. They need praise, encouragement, and instruction more than correction, even when they are not very loving. - Daniel Taddeo