The Nature of Love
The four loves, affection; brotherly love; eros, or intimacy;
and agapé, the highest love, all flow down mingled, undifferentiated from the
God of love, in each experience in different measures, now emphasizing one love,
and then another. In the New Testament
agapé is made known to us in that Christ Jesus died for us, in action first,
and only secondarily in emotionality.
Agapé, like its Old Testament counterpart chesed, or steadfast love, is
known in the regenerative and creative, unmerited, therefore grace filled acts
of God reaching out to heal and transform us.
This agapé is the dynamic energy behind all other loves and behind all
our enfleshed experiences of loving. In
every act of love the Incarnation is at work, God who is love making himself
manifest in us, in our affection, our brotherly love, our eros, all alike
empowered by agapé, and God is Agapé.
In Romantic Love, the love of husband and wife, this love is
enfleshed in a unique and special way. In Romantic Love we see in human flesh,
in human hearts and minds and wills a revelation of the redemptive love of
Christ Jesus for his bride the Church; but the Church purified and made clean
by his blood, without blemish, without spot or wrinkle.
The revelation, the visible and tangible manifestation of
this love, a love of “terrible aspect” is known by us in humble
simplicity. In the meeting of our eyes,
the touch of our hands, in moments quiet or jubilant, and in passionate
embrace, the very God of love dares to make himself known.
On the Theology of
Romantic Love
Brightly shines the morning light my own true love,
The world is freshening with the morning dew.
By the magnolia softly coos the dove,
When you’re with me my love, and I’m with you.
All God’s gracious gifts flow from heaven above,
Blessings in abundance, love gifts not too few,
Our hearts are open and our hearts are true.
God’s love in us is an ever flowing love,
Flowing from the tumultuous love of God,
From Father, Son and Holy Spirit, our God,
A torrent of God’s love in us enfleshed.
Side by side and hand in hand with Him we walk,
In the cool of the evening we three talk.
Bread and Butter Loves
Bread and butter loves above all other loves,
The stuff of every day give and take,
Outlast the show and flash of lesser loves,
Shallow loves that make hearts bend and break.
Fond affection, the first of all the loves,
The love of brother for brother which none can fake,
Sweet Eros the fuel of all romantic loves,
God’s pure love from Him who died for our sake,
All loves in an indissoluble bond
Mingle together in the human heart,
Loves given, loves to which our hearts respond,
All melded together with sublime art,
In every day bread and butter love.
All the loves flow down freely from above.
At the Van Gogh Museum in
Amsterdam
Along the beach wavelets lap the pebbled shore,
White gulls rise clamouring in the morning air.
When we’re together all is bright and fair.
Who could ask, my dear, for anything more?
Vincent’s boats rest upon the sandy shore,
Mediterranean light in glowing air,
Clear radiance, brilliance de la Mer.
Gazing, we stand upon a marble floor
Our eyes glancing from picture to picture;
The yellow house sits on a corner at Arles,
Yellow bed, yellow chairs, simple furniture;
A pink peach tree, and a wheatfield all gnarls.
All truth and beauty flow from God above
Poured forth in our hearts from the God of love.
Wondelone: Desire and
Fulfillment
There is a delight hidden in desire.
There is a yearning strong each lover knows.
Too easy conquest disappointment sows.
There is a yearning that sets the heart afire.
There is a wooing that flows from desire
That enflames the heart as each lover knows,
That reveals the heart and all its nature shows
Fanning the bright flames of the heart on fire.
Such yearnings and wooing bear fruition
When each lover and beloved know themselves
As whole, yet each the other gladly serves
Without dissembling or diminution.
Blessed the lovers who belong to each other
And covenant to love one another.
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