What is Love?

 

I’m sure I’ve written on this over the years, but events today again highlighted the question, and the complicated, simple, answer.

The guy’s Bible Study this morning was a reflection on Matthew 23:16-36, where Jesus speaks of the scribe’s and Pharisee’s behavior and says: “Woe to you” if you do not repent and amend your ways.  One of the things we saw this morning was a possible reason for Jesus’ frustration at their actions and the Jewish leader’s not understanding Him.  They saw the same thing --- actions done according to the Jewish law, but Jesus saw “why” the law was there, versus “why” the leaders obeyed the law.  A differing answer “why” leads to a differing “how” the law is lived.  Jesus says a number of times in the Bible that all the laws and commandments there are telling you and showing you ways to “Love God and Love Your Neighbor.”  That’s “why” you should be doing things.  In this passage in Matthew, Jesus is telling the leaders they are obeying the laws to gain self-honor and prestige, not to love God or neighbor.  They were acting out of self-love, that was their “why”.  The Bible Study guys, in reflecting on this, realized that both “sides” thought they were right.  The Jewish leaders spent many years in study of the laws, and when they learned and lived them, they thought they were doing right.  Perhaps at one time those laws were written for good reasons, but Jesus’ objections show that “why” the laws were written has been forgotten, and that’s not “why” the Jewish leaders were now enforcing them.

The Bible Study guys reflected that our country and its laws were based on Christian morality, but now a huge portion of the country no longer believes in those moral values (or God), and so people disagree on the “why” for some laws, just like Jesus and the Jewish leaders did.  So, in Washington, even if they should agree on what a law should be, their differing “why’s” will lead to strong disagreements --- head bashings --- on “how” to enforce those laws.  The Christian morality is based on “Love God and Love Neighbor”, while the atheist morality is based on “Love Self”.  The Christian looks to an eternity with God, while the atheist enjoys life today, “for tomorrow we die”. 

The Gospel at mass this morning was John 21:15-19, where Jesus asks Peter three times: “Do you love me?”  And Peter answers “Yes” three times.  Most scholars relate this to Peter’s earlier three denials of Jesus, but it is a complex question.  Peter had reasons for denying Jesus in the garden three times, many would say they were good reasons --- at the time.  But these last three questions of Jesus bring out the point of “why” Peter did things.  If he really loved Jesus, he could not have answered any question to protect himself or even to obey the Jewish law.  So, when Peter earlier denied Jesus, it was because he had loved himself more.  Now, at the end of the Gospel of John, Peter firmly states “I love You” to Jesus.  And then, Jesus knowing --- and Peter firmly knowing --- that Peter loves Jesus and so will do all things for Him, then Jesus can now tell him: “follow me”.  That’s what love does, and we know Peter did.  Love does not put one’s self first.

I titled this “What is Love?”  The answer is that love is not a “what”.  “Love is Why”.  No matter what we do, the underlying reason should be “for Love of God and  Love of Neighbor”.  It’s why the Jewish leaders should have taken actions; it’s why Peter should (and will) take actions; it’s why we should take actions. 

And we should never forget: we are not alone.  We can plan actions with a Love of God and Love of Neighbor built into the way we do them, but sometimes God has a better way.  We need always to be open to the WWJD --- What Would Jesus Do?  We may have great plans, but remember: God IS love.