HOLY HOMEWORK

The What, Where and Why of Love

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Prior to the late 1300s, Valentine's Day had no connection with romance. In fact, the love celebrated to honor St. Valentine was purely platonic. Today the tables have turned. Greeting cards, flowers, jewelry and chocolates are mostly geared toward stirring up passion, not promoting unadulterated devotion.

The history of poor Valentinus aside, his feast's unintended transition from kindness to craving does raise a significant dilemma: Where exactly is the line between loving and lusting? One key to unlocking this quandary is to explore the mystery of love itself. How? We can examine three queries: What is love? Where is love? Why does love exist at all?

What is love? Without discounting the emotional underpinnings like physical attraction and gratification, in the end, pure love really comes down to a decision. Aquinas' definition is brief and to the point: willing the good of another. When firefighters run into a building to rescue trapped individuals from being burned to death, they are willing the good of another. That is what love is.

Where is love? Lionel Bart's musical adaptation of the Dickens' classic began with a forlorn Oliver Twist looking for love in all the wrong places. By the end of the song, however, the grungy orphan discovers that pristine love does not fall out of the sky or grow under willow trees. Rather true love resides in our ability to bond with another.

Why is love? This, of course, is the most complicated investigation of all. Even the most rigidly atheistic scientists today are compelled to admit that there really is no rational justification for love to have spontaneously appeared on the evolutionary ladder. But it did. The human species could have easily survived and even thrived on biological drives alone. So why do we also place ourselves in harm's way for complete strangers? Why do we find ourselves caring at all? Why do we fall in love? Here we must turn to Augustine's reply: Our hearts are made for Thee, O Lord, and they will not rest until they rest in Thee. We love because we are made in the image and likeness of God who is love.

For Holy Homework:

We can anonymously send a Valentine's Day card to an organization like police officers, fire fighters, veterans, thanking them for the service they provide out of purely human love.

 

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