February - the Month of Love. What is Love Anyway?

In February our attention turns to St. Valentine's Day - the day of LOVE.

But what is Love?  I love my husband. I have a different love for my children. I know my dog loves me. How can there be different types of love?

When we have a child, we feel a bond, knowing that child needs us and we feel the love from them as well.  Is that a nurturing love?
I remember after my first child was born, I looked at her and felt unconditional love. When I got pregnant with my second child I had a feeling that I couldn't love another baby the way I loved my little girl. I never told anyone the feeling that I had, I just kept it in my heart. After I gave birth to my second child - another daughter, I took her in my arms and I felt that love all over again. I was smiling and so happy. I was overjoyed that I could feel that way again. I was rejoicing! I never feared that again. The bond and love we have for our children is different than the bond and love we have with our spouse or our parents.  Another kind of love?

Love is hard to define. It is a virtue. It can be AGAPE (one of several Greek words meaning love) - a self sacrificing love - the kind Jesus has for us. The kind that He has that would have Him lay down His life on the Cross for us!

Dictionary.reference.com defines love-

love [luhv]

noun

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.
4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart
5. (used in direct address as term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?
6. a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.
7. sexual intercourse; copulation.

Nothing in the definition from the dictionary can capture the true meaning of LOVE!

I think St. Paul defines it much better in his epistle.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

¹ Though I command languages both human and angelic -- if I speak without love, I am no more than a gong booming or a cymbal clashing.

² And though I have the power of prophecy, to penetrate all mysteries and knowledge, and though I have all the faith necessary to move mountains -- if I am without love, I am nothing.

³ Though I should give away to the poor all that I possess, and even give up my body to be burned -- if I am without love, it will do me no good whatever.

⁴ Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited,

⁵ it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances.

⁶ Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth.

⁷ It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.

⁸ Love never comes to an end. But if there are prophecies, they will be done away with; if tongues, they will fall silent; and if knowledge, it will be done away with.

⁹ For we know only imperfectly, and we prophesy imperfectly;

¹⁰ but once perfection comes, all imperfect things will be done away with.

¹¹ When I was a child, I used to talk like a child, and see things as a child does, and think like a child; but now that I have become an adult, I have finished with all childish ways.

¹² Now we see only reflections in a mirror, mere riddles, but then we shall be seeing face to face. Now I can know only imperfectly; but then I shall know just as fully as I am myself known.

¹³ As it is, these remain: faith, hope and love, the three of them; and the greatest of them is love.

As Catholic Christians we are always striving for the truth - the purpose - the meaning. When we think we know all there is to know - we know nothing. So keep searching, it will always bring you closer to love and to God!