This afternoon I posted the third homily for Advent season, Rejoice in the Love of God. The homily is an extended essay on the modern corruption of the word “love.” I examine the true meaning of love, from the Greek agape, and also discuss several other Greek words which can be translated as love, but are only small aspects of love; storge’ (familial love), philia (brotherly love), philaguria (love of money, or avarice), philautos (love of self), and philanthropia (love of mankind). I hope listeners are enjoying the musical theme, a modern piano variation on O Come, O Come, Emmanuel by Rob Stroh at each end of the program. The whole series is available from the Podcast Homily page at the AIC Web Site.
Of these only agape describes the kind of unqualified love which God expressed for His people in sending His only-begotten Son to be Incarnate as a man and ransom Himself for our sins and reconcile God and man. All other words are commonplace expressions of love: of things; people; places; possessions; sex; self; and, even, one’s fellow men or women.
In my Reflection for the Sixth Day of Christmas (December 29th) I will explore the connection to the Latin verb, Gaudere, and its adjective form, joyful: O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands. The Great “O” Antiphons series (12/18 to 12/24) and Reflections on the Twelve Days of Christmas will be available on my You Tube channel, with one new video uploaded daily during that period.
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