The Meaning of Love
In the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the
introduction to the Nicene Creed is said by the priest: "Let us love one
another that with one mind we may confess..." and then on we go to the creed.
Such is missing from the liturgies of St. James, Mark or Peter, although the
creed tends to come after the greeting with the holy kiss, thus putting the
confession of faith alongside an expression of love. This may be the roots of
the prayer in the St. John's
liturgy.
It is interesting to reflect
on the concept that loving others has anything to do with a profession of faith.
We have become used to the concept, particularly those of us coming from
mainline protestant denominations, that love and belief had nothing to do with
one another. However, we are supposed to be the body of Christ - a divine and
organic union. Part of what binds us together is our common faith (or at least
is supposed to be). This makes sense, if you think of it in terms of marriage
(as St. Paul would clearly have us do). After all, unless you're a movie star,
most people become married to someone who shares a common view of what marriage
is about, how many children, how to raise them, etc. So when we recite the
creed each week, we are, in a sense, recapitulating the beliefs underlying our
"marriage" to Christ through his Church. So, we are reflecting our love for one
another.
To continue the analogy, then
what happens when we no longer hold to the common belief? What about those
churches where people are modifying the creed (to the point of a wholesale
ignoring or change of meaning of key points)? I would propose that you are no
longer reflecting your love for the other, because the very thing that united
you in the first place, you are now changing.
Posted: Sunday - July 02, 2006 at 04:32 PM
