From the Editor - February

“Remember, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.”

“Won’t you be my Valentine?”

For the first time in years, 73 to be exact, Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lenten season, coincides with St. Valentine’s Day, a day generally devoted to candy hearts and true love.

But is it really so unusual for the two days to collide? What better day than the day synonymous with love to begin our 40-day Lenten journey focused on the greatest love story of all - the love God showed His children by sending His only Son as our Redeemer?

The Greeks understood the complexities of love — the many facets that go beyond the English four-letter word. Of the six to eight (depending on your Greek scholarly source) words for love the ancient Greeks used frequently, three stand-out to me as I reflect on the Lenten season: philia (friendship), pragma (enduring love) and agape (selfless love).

Philia is the love and affection we have for our friends. In fact the Greeks are said to have valued it over “eros”-romantic love because it was between equals, a love of sacrifice and giving.

Pragma is a mature love, between long-married couples or friends who’ve known each other for decades — a love seasoned with patience and tolerance.

Agape is a selfless love that you extend to all people and was later translated into Latin as caritas, which is the origin of our word “charity.” Each type of love valuable and each type an appropriate guide for your Lenten journey.

Recently Pope Francis made world headlines for performing another papal first — the first time a pope married a couple on a plane. On the flight from Santiago to Iquique during his apostolic visit to Chile he blessed the marriage of Podesta and Ciuffardi, who were married civilly and have two children but whose Catholic wedding was cancelled when their church was destroyed in the Chile earthquake. Pope Francis, with the love of a father for his children, gave them the gift of solidifying their union as a sacrament. One historic moment with so many examples of philia and agape that hopefully help this couple achieve pragma.

Love, in all its forms and expressions, is interwoven in everything we do. This Lent as I start off Ash Wednesday with ashes on my head and Valentine cards in hand, I’m going to intentionally plan how I can deepen my Lenten journey through all the many expressions of love.