“Transformed In Love”

“Transformed In Love”

It is amazing how many ways the English language uses the word “love”. We use the same word to say, “I love my spouse,” “I love my mother,” “I love my country,” and “I love pizza” – clearly we don’t mean “love” in the same way each time! Other languages often have more than one word to describe the different types of love. Greek uses storge for affectionate love of those people and things we are comfortable with because they are familiar, and philia for the love among friends based on shared interest. Eros is Greek for romantic love based on attraction and desire; and agape is the highest form of love - a sacrificial, unconditional love based on what is good for the other. All forms of love are important and gifts from God, but our faith helps us to focus on agape as the most valuable form of love to strive for, and the kind of love God has for each one of us. Some forms of love are based more on feelings, but they come and go as our feelings change.
By contrast, agape love is based not on feelings but on a decision to love – even when we don’t feel very loving. Think of a parent caring for a sick loved one in the middle of the night, or someone doing a special favor for a spouse to help them through a cranky mood. This is the kind of love we mean when we say “God is love” because God is the source of agape love. God helps us to love when we don’t feel like it, because love is the very thing that is desperately needed to transform our world. Agape is what our nation and world needs now more than ever to overcome the devastation and isolation that violence and natural disasters can bring. It is what motivates people to put themselves at risk to save others, and this kind of love is just as necessary in ordinary circumstances as in times of crisis.

This reflection on love is just a taste of the many topics being presented in the new marriage preparation program called “Transformed in Love,” which we are offering in our collaborative starting this month. Formerly known as “Pre Cana,” various marriage preparation programs offered by the Church today are an essential part of preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony. This particular program was developed right here in the Archdiocese of Boston, and credit goes to Deacon Joe Flocco for coordinating the effort to bring it to Plainville and Wrentham. Deacon Joe and his wife Peggy, along with several other married couples from our collaborative and myself, have been preparing to offer this series of one evening and two Sunday afternoons at St. Martha church hall. It is a special blessing for our parishes, and especially our engaged couples, to be able to participate in a program presented by local couples who share their successes and their challenges for these couples to learn from. Thank you to every one of our married couples who will accompany the engaged on their journey to a life of marriage! We are also grateful to Maggie Hoagland and the St. Martha Fair Committee for accommodating the shared use of the hall amidst Grade 6 Faith Formation and the very busy fair preparations. Please pray for these engaged couples and for our presenting team as we embark on this new adventure starting October 20!