February a month of four loves

Did you know that February comes from the Latin term februum, meaning purification? It seems fitting to me that the theme for the month is  “Love,” for I was always taught that perfect love drove out all fear (1 John 4:18). Love is a powerful emotion and the words when spoken to another carry much power, and is often used and received without much thought to how it is meant when spoken, or how it may be interpreted when received.

The Greeks had many terms for Love, and in English it seems that we only have one. C.S. Lewis wrote about the four most common types of love expressed in the Christian Scriptures; Eros, Storge, Phileo, and Agape.

Eros is an erotic love. Its base meaning can be restated as, ‘I love you for what you do for me.’ 

Storge is a love of camaraderie, this is the love that soldiers, co-workers, and communities hold for one another. We can restate this love as, ‘I love you for what we do for one each other.’ 

Phileo is the word for brotherly love, for the love that we hold for family, friends and a lover, it is less based on love of self and is based on our affections. It is delighting to be in the presence of another, and carries with it a sense of warm intensity. This could be restate as “I love you, in light of our relationship with each other.”  

Agape is the Greek word for charitable love. It carries with it not only passion but also compassion for one another. It is often referred to as God’s love, the Christian Scriptures uses this word when it speaks on God’s love for humankind. The Greeks saw Agape Love as a “Perfect Love.” Christian writers often referred to this word as the greatest of loves, and the greatest of virtues. It is a love that is not defendant upon what is done, or who the person is and can be restated as, “I love you without any reservation or desire.”

During this month when we write out Valentines Day cards, and greet one another with terms of endearment, I challenge everyone to ask themselves, what is meant when we say, “I love you” to those around us? What is meant when we say that we gather together in ‘Love’