What does "Love" mean?

[cheezey]

I can say that much to my shame in the past people have given me things or help and I felt at the time that I was “entitled” to better than what they did for me. This includes God himself, sorry to say. This seems to be a problem in todays society, a spirit of “entitlement”.

yup, there is that entitlement thing…my former roommates are the biggest fans of entitlement.
They say they ‘paid in’ and therefore, since it is their money that they paid in, they are entitled to their non workers pay.
I wanted to run through the numbers with him to show why it was not just his money he was receiving, especially for having worked only 15 years and hasn’t worked now for another 15 years. But, I kinda like breathing. Sorry, I am little spoiled that way.

 

[ricmat]

Giving a person food is good. But what if you buy the person a McDonalds burger and they were expecting something more?

What about it?

Because somebody expects something doesn’t define it as “good.” Wanting “the best” for somebody doesn’t mean giving them everything they want.

Generally speaking, when we “want the best” for someone, what we are talking about is what is best for their souls.

Gratitude - (mentioned above) - what we are usually looking for when we want gratitude is glory. Something to inflate our own pride. When we do something with love, we do it because we want the best for the other person, not because we want to be rewarded ourselves. But certainly gratitude in the sense of saying “thank you” to somebody is a reasonable thing to do. Or in other words, giving gratitude is good, receiving it (or demanding it) is a bit troublesome…

 

[LegoGE1947]

What about it?

Because somebody expects something doesn’t define it as “good.” Wanting “the best” for somebody doesn’t mean giving them everything they want.

Generally speaking, when we “want the best” for someone, what we are talking about is what is best for their souls.

Gratitude - (mentioned above) - what we are usually looking for when we want gratitude is glory. Something to inflate our own pride. When we do something with love, we do it because we want the best for the other person, not because we want to be rewarded ourselves. But certainly gratitude in the sense of saying “thank you” to somebody is a reasonable thing to do. Or in other words, giving gratitude is good, receiving it (or demanding it) is a bit troublesome…

I would say humility cuts both ways in this situation. I was wondering if someone gives a small child something and the adult caretaker of that child says"What do you say?" Thus making the child say “thank you” or whatever response that the adult feels appropo?

 

[pun33t]

The meaning of true love changes with each different relationship and depends more on its concept of depth, versatility, and complexity. It can take many forms. At the lowest level it is chemistry and biology which explain it as a powerful neurological condition like hunger or thirst, only more permanent. Biology says that it is nothing but the play of hormones. When a man and women are attracted towards each other, they think they are falling but what if some hormones are playing inside them and this is not love but mere attraction. This is pure chemistry; at the lowest point it is not more than that. But how can we explain man love for music or painting. This is surely not hormonal. This is not Chemistry. Van Gogh, a painter, sacrificed his life for Love of painting. This is something higher than chemistry, higher than hormonal. But there is still a higher level; the love of Buddha, the love of Jesus, the love of Krishna. Now it has taken completely different form. Buddha loves everyone, because he has too much to share it. He is burdened by the love released in him; it has to be shared with the trees, with the birds, with people, with animals, with whosoever comes by.

When we say we love somebody, what exactly we mean? If we mean we hold that person. This gives birth to jealousy, because if I lose that person then what happens? I feel empty, lost; therefore I restrict that person. From holding, there is jealousy, insecurity, fear of losing and innumerable conflicts that arises from holding. And this holding is not true love is it? Also, it is neither emotional nor sentimental. Because these are only sensations which are process of thought and surely thought is not true love. Person who is sentimental or emotional cannot know it. This is because the emotions can be stirred negatively where a person is vulnerable to hatred or fight. Therefore, we can say that when there is room for these things, there is no Love. They are all generated from the mind. Mind can only corrupt love but, cannot give birth to it. When these things disappear, and when the things of the mind don’t fill your heart, then there is love. It is only when you do not restrict, when you do not hold, you are not jealous, not greedy, when you have mercy and compassion, when you have consideration for your wife, your children, your neighbour, and your unfortunate servants.

It is just like breathing. It should be just a quality, no matter what you doing, whom u meeting, where you are, it goes on overflowing from you. It is not about being in love with someone, it is about being love. You don’t love the object instead, you are love. It is not dependent on the object, but is a radiation of your subjectivity a radiation of your soul.
…CONTINUE…seekersdiary.com/what-is-love/

 

[cheezey]

Had THE most excellent response to this today in Church. Best I have heard in YEARS. As soon as it is posted, I could link it. Yes?

PLEASE DO!! Love to read it!

Now if someone could explain to me how to post a document here…2 pages, so I know I cannot just cut and paste…
HELP!!!

please and thank you.

 

[LegoGE1947]

Now if someone could explain to me how to post a document here…2 pages, so I know I cannot just cut and paste…
HELP!!!

please and thank you.

According to Captain Kangaroo (remember Him?) Those are the two “magic” words–please & thank you

 

[cheezey]

According to Captain Kangaroo (remember Him?) Those are the two “magic” words–please & thank you

Please and thank you.
Can you help with inserting a document without cutting and pasting? One that I promised to do on this thread??

And I loved Mr Greenjeans and the Grandfather clock, but loved the bunny most.
love love love

 

[LegoGE1947]

Please and thank you.
Can you help with inserting a document without cutting and pasting? One that I promised to do on this thread??

And I loved Mr Greenjeans and the Grandfather clock, but loved the bunny most.
love love love

Actually I’d like to know how to do this myself. Does anyone out there know how to do what cheezy is asking?

 

[Chan26]

But that would violate the 5th commandment, and I’m not sure how that you could desire beheading as a “good”.

eg Behead that criminal or we will gas all 300 children.

I also said that “All love involves sacrifice.”

How does willing anything involve sacrifice? It’s a mental process. I guess you might run the risk of a nasty headache.
chan26

 

[LegoGE1947]

How does willing anything involve sacrifice? It’s a mental process. I guess you might run the risk of a nasty headache.
chan26

It would be a way for some people to lose 8 ugly pounds!

 

[Monte_RCMS]

I have trouble with this

I am a person who percieves emotion in, on, and about just about everything (with both good and bad results). The concept of separating the “feeling of love” from “action” just baffles me.
(27 years of motherhood may have had some significant influence here).

I feel constantly, and actions spring from these feelings. I wish I could say I always feel love and the actions are always positive, but, of course, being human, they aren’t. However I simply cannot imagine taking positive action without the emotion of love, though it may be higher or lower in my awareness.

Even with someone I have strong antipathy towards, there’s still a feeling of empathy/love towards them that allows me to pray for them. I have to allow that feeling to prompt me to action, but again, it’s feeling calling me to action. So I don’t understand how it has nothing to do with emotions? Or is it just me and my perception of the words/world? Or ???

If you choose to follow The Ten Commandments and the Dogma and Doctrine and Discipline of the Catholic Church, then you have to do the reading and do what God has laid out for us … you have to do more than go with your emotions.

If I acted on my feelings … MY emotions, I would have a red Corvette.

[Women L-O-V-E riding in really nice cars.]

“that’s a n-i-c-e car" … "this is my unlisted phone number … I could cook for you.”]

And probably a string of girlfriends who would have to fend for themselves.

Is that the kind of world that God wants? Or that you want?

So, what I have had to do is to make some intellectual and actual choices.

No red Corvette.

Thank you but decline the supper invitations.

But I include them in my prayers. And in my daily four Rosaries. And in my daily Mass intentions.

And by the way, another set of good reasons for two men or two women NOT being a substitute for a man and a woman in a covenantal marriage.

 

[Joy2day]

As a great priest coached me…“Feelings are like dogs. Feelings, like dogs, are good, because God made them. But feelings, like dogs, need an owner. Otherwise they make messes wherever they go”

Feelings need an owner: the will, informed by the intellect.

I think this is v.important - to inform the will via the intellect. There is always the will, but it has to be properly informed via the intellect - this is often what is missing today.

 

[CradleJourney]

If you choose to follow The Ten Commandments and the Dogma and Doctrine and Discipline of the Catholic Church, then you have to do the reading and do what God has laid out for us … you have to do more than go with your emotions.

If I acted on my feelings … MY emotions, I would have a red Corvette.

[Women L-O-V-E riding in really nice cars.]

“that’s a n-i-c-e car" … "this is my unlisted phone number … I could cook for you.”]

And probably a string of girlfriends who would have to fend for themselves.

Is that the kind of world that God wants? Or that you want?

So, what I have had to do is to make some intellectual and actual choices.

No red Corvette.

Thank you but decline the supper invitations.

But I include them in my prayers. And in my daily four Rosaries. And in my daily Mass intentions.

And by the way, another set of good reasons for two men or two women NOT being a substitute for a man and a woman in a covenantal marriage.

Okay, I can partially see where you’re coming from. Maybe it’s my mindset that’s approaching this from a different place. Red Corvettes and women (or for me, book collections and men) … those I think of as “urges” rather than “emotions”.

When faced with an urge, my initial desire is immediately offset by the needs of my family (emotion / love) and thus I spend my money on socks and my evenings being a shuttle driver between scouts and softball.
Thus, to me, the actions of self-denial, sock buying, and chauffeuring all come because of love. If I did not love, I’m not sure any doctrine could keep me away from complete a set of first editions by one of my favorite authors. Even if I didn’t have a family, then love of neighbor would prompt me to tithe before investing in those books, and love of God would keep me alone in bed with them rather than with whatever hunk I could lure over.

Difference of personality? Viewpoint? Life experience? Lack of education on my part? To me, it’s a case of “I love”, therefore I decide what would be best way of expressing that love (which involves thought, discernment and prayer), then I act. (Well, I’d like to follow that process all the time. Sometimes it short-circuits, especially when lost homework or chocolate is involved.) So I have trouble separating the concept of love being only in the action, or being the action that prompts the emotion rather than the other way around.

Sorry if I’m coming across as argumentative or just plain dim!
I’m honestly trying to comprehend this different viewpoint (and my own viewpoint for that matter!)

That’s one of the reasons I’m enjoying being on CAF. It encourages me to think

 

[Monte_RCMS]

Okay, I can partially see where you’re coming from. Maybe it’s my mindset that’s approaching this from a different place. Red Corvettes and women (or for me, book collections and men) … those I think of as “urges” rather than “emotions”.

When faced with an urge, my initial desire is immediately offset by the needs of my family (emotion / love) and thus I spend my money on socks and my evenings being a shuttle driver between scouts and softball.
Thus, to me, the actions of self-denial, sock buying, and chauffeuring all come because of love. If I did not love, I’m not sure any doctrine could keep me away from complete a set of first editions by one of my favorite authors. Even if I didn’t have a family, then love of neighbor would prompt me to tithe before investing in those books, and love of God would keep me alone in bed with them rather than with whatever hunk I could lure over.

Difference of personality? Viewpoint? Life experience? Lack of education on my part? To me, it’s a case of “I love”, therefore I decide what would be best way of expressing that love (which involves thought, discernment and prayer), then I act. (Well, I’d like to follow that process all the time. Sometimes it short-circuits, especially when lost homework or chocolate is involved.) So I have trouble separating the concept of love being only in the action, or being the action that prompts the emotion rather than the other way around.

Sorry if I’m coming across as argumentative or just plain dim!
I’m honestly trying to comprehend this different viewpoint (and my own viewpoint for that matter!)

That’s one of the reasons I’m enjoying being on CAF. It encourages me to think

RED Corvette!!!

[Just thinking about a red Corvette gets me all excited.]

[Like the credit card commercial says … “consider the possibilities”]

[But then The Lord imposes His Will on me and reminds me that I am on His Payroll … so, no red corvettes.]

Getting back to “love”: [Wiki-version]

Agápe (ἀγάπη agápē[1]) means “love,” such as in the term s’agapo (Σ’αγαπώ), which means “I love you.” In Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of “true love” rather than the attraction suggested by “eros.” Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial love. Agape is also used in ancient texts to denote feelings for one’s children and the feelings for a spouse, and it was also used to refer to a love feast. It can also be described as the feeling of being content or holding one in high regard. Agape was used by Christians to express the unconditional love of God.

Éros (ἔρως érōs[2]) is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing.

Philia (φιλία philía[3]) means affectionate regard or friendship in both ancient and modern Greek. It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity.

Storge (στοργή storgē[4]) means “affection” in ancient and modern Greek. It is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. .
[edit]

Nothing in there about love for apple pie, Chevrolet, base-ball … or pizza or ice cream.

 

[cheezey]

Actually I’d like to know how to do this myself. Does anyone out there know how to do what cheezy is asking?

what i’ve been attempting to post…Pleasse let me know if this works, that I did this right…

View attachment 17101

 

[LegoGE1947]

what i’ve been attempting to post…Pleasse let me know if this works, that I did this right…

View attachment 17101

It seems to have worked. I opened it as a Word document and was able to read it once the link opened. I had a bit of problem reading it because the tears kept getting in the way.

 

[ricmat]

How does willing anything involve sacrifice? It’s a mental process. I guess you might run the risk of a nasty headache.
chan26

The kind of sacrifice (which is not just a mental process) I’m referring to (i,e, related to love) is voluntary. That means it’s a choice to do or not to do. Sacrificial decisions always start with an act of the mind (mental process as you put it).

And as a separate issue, “beheading” someone under duress, or with the “good” desire to save 300 children (your example), is not supported by church teaching. One is not allowed to purposely do evil in order that some greater good may come out of it.

 

[LegoGE1947]

RED Corvette!!!

[Just thinking about a red Corvette gets me all excited.]

[Like the credit card commercial says … “consider the possibilities”]

[But then The Lord imposes His Will on me and reminds me that I am on His Payroll … so, no red corvettes.]

Getting back to “love”: [Wiki-version]

Agápe (ἀγάπη agápē[1]) means “love,” such as in the term s’agapo (Σ’αγαπώ), which means “I love you.” In Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of “true love” rather than the attraction suggested by “eros.” Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial love. Agape is also used in ancient texts to denote feelings for one’s children and the feelings for a spouse, and it was also used to refer to a love feast. It can also be described as the feeling of being content or holding one in high regard. Agape was used by Christians to express the unconditional love of God.

Éros (ἔρως érōs[2]) is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing.

Philia (φιλία philía[3]) means affectionate regard or friendship in both ancient and modern Greek. It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity.

Storge (στοργή storgē[4]) means “affection” in ancient and modern Greek. It is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. .
[edit]

Nothing in there about love for apple pie, Chevrolet, base-ball … or pizza or ice cream.

I got the 'RED" but the “Corvette,” not so much! Instead I have a dark red 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS sedan. It gets us from point A to point B and that’s what matters to us.

 

[littlenothing]

what i’ve been attempting to post…Pleasse let me know if this works, that I did this right…

View attachment 17101

I tried to open it and can’t, but I wonder if it’s a different version of word or something. I will try again when I go to my other job later (with a newer word version) and let you know if that works! Its lunch right now…I’m not surfing on company time

 

[Jessie5000]

throughout history human kind has asked what love is. But when we feel it, we know it and when we give it, we know it. I also feel that during our lifetime we come to deeper understanding of love… growing in the knowledge of love is a lifelong process. Scripture says, God is love. If so, we can never fully understand love but we sure can aim to growing in our understanding and practice of love.

It is a good thing the priest never defined it as it impossible.