Love is a Verb

I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear the word, love, I am immediately drawn to words that convey an action; for you English majors, verbs!

In his poem, These I Can Promise, Mark Twain relates that love, if we allow it, provides us with an anchor to weather the ups-and-downs of our earthly lives.

I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my heart’s devotion;
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that’s ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.

Now for most of us, our earliest experience of love begins in our families, with our mothers and fathers. And then, as we widen our circles and extend our timelines, there are spouses and children and good friends that show us love.

This past week, while thinking about love, I was drawn to a time long ago—when I was a teenager. There was an elderly couple who were friends of my parents that, a year into their marriage, the wife was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis.

With the diagnosis, both were devastated and thrust into lives “they didn’t sign up for.” As the disease began to progress, she became wheelchair bound and her husband assumed the responsibility of primary caregiver, a role he occupied until her death. These many years later, when I think of their circumstances, words to describe their love would most certainly be devoted and enduring. 

I mention all of this because on this Solemnity, we honor Saints Peter and Paul because they also were thrust into situations they could not imagine—and endured!

In the Gospel passage (John 21:15-19) for the Vigil of this Solemnity, Peter is the recipient of three questions from Jesus—regarding love. The questions come following the Resurrection and Peter is given a triple opportunity to atone for the three times he denied Jesus during His Passion. And after each yes, Peter is provided with his mission.

Simon, son of John, do you love me? Feed my lambs         

Simon, son of John, do you love me? Tend my sheep         

Do you love me? Feed my sheep 

Feeding and tending! Action-oriented words of love. 

In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (3:1-10), we see this up close when, outside the Temple, Peter and John meet a man who cannot walk and is asking for alms. Noting that he has neither silver nor gold, Peter informs him that he can give him something far more precious—Jesus Christ! As the story unfolds, in the name of Jesus Christ, Peter invites the man to stand up and walk. And he does! 

And St. Paul? In his Letter to the Galatians (1:11-20), the great Apostle recounts his former ways. 

For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles…

But then, in an instant, everything changed for him. After receiving Jesus’ love through a revelation, he spent the rest of his earthly life preaching about Jesus and pouring himself out as a libation. (see 2 Timothy 4:6-8)

On this Solemnity, we rightly remember the ways Saints Peter and Paul said yes to Jesus’ invitation of love—and to love. 

But, I wonder. If they were here today, what would they say to us? It is a good question for us to consider. While it is only a guess, I imagine that after the introductions, their question to each of us would be:

So, how do you make the love of Jesus known to those you meet? 

Love, after all, is a verb.