
The holiday that we most associate with the month of February is Valentine’s Day. Celebrated on February 14, it originally commemorated St. Valentine, a Roman priest in the third century CE who was martyred on this date.
Of course. Valentine’s Day is now associated with romantic love, red roses, chocolates, and Cupid as its primary symbols.
Yet, there are many different types of love that we should be aware of as expressed in Greek, the original language of the New Testament in the Bible. There is eros, the romantic love shared between a couple. There is also philia, friendship, that describes the mutual connection that two people feel for each other spiritually. There is storge, which is associated with familial love. And, then there is agape, which is the highest form of love, for it signifies both self-giving and covenantal love. It is agape that is used to describe the love of God for human beings.
We live in a world that is filled with sorrows for many, including war, hunger, and oppression. The need for us to share love with one another is as great as it has ever been. My hope is that this Valentine’s Day, we not only show our love for spouses and partners, but for all humankind. Remember that love is multilayered for all of us, both seeking and sharing it.
By Reverend Greg Batson
Santa Monica First United Methodist Church
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