Love The Four Loves

Distinctions in Love Gift-Love This is the kind of love that someone works and plans and saves for the future well-being of his family This also can be know as the Divine-Love. The Father gives His Son. The Son gives Himself to the Father. The Son gives Himself to the world and therefore the Son also gives the world to the Father

Distinctions in Love Need-Love This is the kind of love when a lonely or frightened child runs to their mother’s arms God does not have need-love because there is nothing that he needs but you and I as Plato said “the son of poverty” lack a lot From the beginning of our lives you and I physically, emotionally, and intellectually are in need of others— “It is not good for man to be a lone”

Misconceptions of Love Need-Love First we have to take account of the limits language has with love and the violence we can do to its meaning Second we have to understand that need-love is not mere selfishness No one calls a child selfish when it needs its mother No one calls a teenage selfish when they need to talk to their best friend

Misconceptions of Love Need-Love Our spiritual health, our happiness as Christians is exactly proportionate to our love for God As it has been said before, we are growing, becoming more like the person we are suppose to be, maturing into the holy person God has called us too. This growth needs support, it needs guidance. This is why our love largely and must often is a need-love

More Distinctions There needs to be some distinctions made about how our relationship with God works First, we have this “nearness to God” which for humanity is possible because we are made in the “Image of God” Second, we have this “nearness of Approach” which for humanity is possible because we are made in the “Likeness of God”

More Distinctions There is a very good reason why we discussed the topic of “image” and “likeness” again St. John saying “God is love” is not the same as “love is God” We can in “love” have this tendency to claim a particular love as divine authority as if it was the will of God Himself Erotic love Love of country

More Distinctions There is what we can call “natural love” or human love (this can be understood the way in which we love) and this love can be used the wrong way meaning it gives unconditional allegiance to things for example: We turn on love to money for example or any object besides God This is where addiction reins This is where love no longer remains love. This type of “loving” is where hatred is born

Understanding what Love is Language again has all kinds of ways in which we can communicate love but Greek has an exceptional way in revealing what love really is and how we are to love Greek gives four love Storge-Affection Philia-Friendship Eros-The love toward a beloved Agape-Charity