Love One Another
Steve Puluka
spuluka at hotmail.com
Wed Sep 22 11:37:25 EDT 1999
>I heard a teaching that said you can love someone but you don't
>have to like them. It seems to me that this flies in the face of
>agape. It seems to me that the lexicons are saying that agape must
>not only decide someone has value, but that decision must affect
>their feelings and actions.
>
>Am I corrrect in your opinion?
I believe you are correct based on all of the scripture passages cited in
prior messages and their application by early Eastern Church writers. I can
understand how some might try to separtate the emotions from the actions
based on these writings, but that is contrary to the spirit of Eastern
Monastacism. In a nutshell these instructions often concentrate the young
Monks thoughts on:
1)--changing your reactions
2)--then your thoughts about others.
3)--the end goal is to change the Monks feelings from the outset.
But, for the spiritually young we can only begin with the outward action,
and move on to the inward thoughts. From these instructions we have not
reached Love until all three are active in our lives. And only the young
Monk will know when this has happened because the outside world can only
"see" when #1 is accomplished.
"If you harbor rancor against anybody, pray for them and
you will prevent the passion from being aroused; for by
means of prayer you will separte your resentment from the
thought of the wrong they have done you. When you have
become loving and compassionate towards them, you will wipe
the passion completely from your soul. If somebody regards
you with rancor, be pleasant to them, be humble and agreeable
in their company, and you will deliver them from their passion."
This is from the collection known as the Philokalia St. Maximos the
Confessor has a work called the "Four Centuries on Love"(Third Century #90).
See also, St.Thaslassios the Libyan "On Love, Self-control, and Life in
accordance with the Intellect".
I regret that I only have these works in English translation.
Steve Puluka
Adult Education Instructor
Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
(Little Greek)
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