Roads, cafe's, parks, party places, and every activity nook would be super busy today, Valentine's Day! It is a very special day here in our country and to many other parts of the world. Love is in the air. This is a time for lovers. This is a time of focusing on the one you love. This is a time to deepen the loving relationship. This is a time for a very special expression of one's love for the beloved. Well, at least to most!
Never mind how it all began. A little mind on how it developed. What is important is how it is going to be celebrated today. And the best way to evaluate the celebration that will take place is to define what is love? The lovers definition of love will determine the kind of celebration they will have. Complication immediately begins when they have different definitions of love. Friction will exists if they have contrasting definition of love. So what is love?
Of course, the best definition comes from the source of Love Himself. In fact, He is Love Himself; God in Jesus Christ. For Jesus, love is the willingness to offer one's life for the one you love. The "other" includes even enemies! Loving entails our heart, strength, mind, and soul; with our whole person. Jesus showed this concretely through our His ministry. He signified it by washing the feet of His apostles. During His time, washing another person's feet is only done by the slaves. Humility is the primary character of Christian loving. He capped His love by dying on the cross. Loving is a relationship that involves the whole of our being
Now, maybe I am being philosophical, theological, and mystical about this thing called love? A spiritual writer, I believe caught most if not all of what Jesus meant by love. Scott Peck said that love is the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth." Aha! Very important here is the purpose of love which is spiritual growth. It is not just about feeling good or physical satisfaction or self-fulfillment. It is about whether both lovers, in the course of their relationship, would attain their spiritual goal? (Note that it does not limit "spiritual" to the Catholic or Christian faith. It just means any spiritual leanings of the lover.) The goal is beyond this life. The goal is eternal fulfillment. The definition also says "extend". Lovers should not only be contented with what they believe they can do but what they do after giving everything. There should also be an extra effort equivalent to more than what they think they can do. And then, that love comes from one's "will". It means it is a decision on the part of the lover. Not whimsical, romantic, boastful, or carnal. It comes from the heart with the purest of intentions. It involves the whole of one's self, nothing less, maybe more!
I guess, with this definition, I need not enumerate or express in detail how today's love day must be celebrated. No matter what religion or denomination you belong. No matter if you do not have a religion and profess yourself an atheist. If you have a (spiritual) goal, you celebrate today according to that goal. All other celebrations will be a neglect, much worse, a rejection of that goal.
Happy Valentines Day everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment