In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

     As we turn, this evening, to the third of the Seven Heavenly Virtues, "Love", I have to say, this might be the easiest to deal with-at least, the easiest to find references to in Holy Scripture, and the most familiar to Christians and non-Christians alike. Love is talked about in all other world religions, and in spite of the unloving character of Islamic terrorists-love is a central tenet of the religion of Islam-which we may talk about later. For now, it is enough to say that "love" seems to make the world go 'round. That love is what its all about. That love is at the heart of all human relationships. And that is true-all human relationships, it would seem, are defined by either the presence or absence, of love. And, there are different forms of love. In our Tuesday morning Bible Study, we were just last week reading our epistle lesson from Romans, where St. Paul talks about love. And I made the mistake of assuming those in our study had heard about, and know well the three forms of love which are presented in the Bible.which the ladies assured me they did not know, or at least, did not recall. So, thinking the same may be the case here, let me say that in Holy Scripture, there are three kinds of love defined. There is filial love, which is familial-the love of families-the love of brother for brother, or sister for sister; there is eros, which, need I say more, is erotic love-love between male and female, love that is romantic and grounded in physical attraction; and finally, there is "agape" which is the love of God for His creation-love which is self-giving and sacrificial. IN our reading from Romans, as well as in our reading from Jesus' Farewell Discourses in John, where Jesus gives the new commandment, the word used for love, is "agape"-divine, godly, self-sacrificing love. Which isn't meant to negate or to ignore the other two kinds of love, which have their purpose in creation and societal structures-its just to say that God's love for us, and our love for Him and for each other, is to be agape-divine, godly, self-sacrificing. Jesus makes this clear, as does Paul, when they both point to the fact that the love of God, and the love to which we are called, is not self-serving, but self-giving. Familial love serves the self, in that families care for one another, and expect love from each other. And truly, when we don't receive that from parents, or siblings, we can grow up to be bitter, angry people, because we feel neglected and unloved. Children need love from their parents, and can't grow up to be healthy, whole individuals without familial love. And in a similar vein, without erotic love, without romantic, physical attraction that draws men and women together, humanity would end! For the species to be propagated, men and women need to be physically attracted to each other. Male-male or female-female physical attraction just won't do it. Ultimately, the approval of homosexuality in any of its forms, will lead to the death of society and the human race, because two men, or two women, can't propagate the species. The Church and the whole of humanity, must invest themselves in male/female relationships for the sake of children-which is why God created men and women to unite in marriage, and come together to become one flesh, to make babies. And this is why God created erotic, romantic physical attraction-so that this coming together in marriage, would continue. But from this start, ultimately, erotic love, grows into filial love, which then ought to grow into agape-or divine, self-giving love. Because that's when a marriage, or any relationship moves from greedy, self-service, self-gratification, to sacrifice-love that gives itself away and gives itself to the other, not for selfish purposes, but simply for the sake of the other. A marriage that never gets to agape, wallows in greediness and self-interest, as the partners are always competing for what they can get out of the relationship, rather than maturing to the point where the relationship is not about getting, but about giving. Mature, loving relationships that last and endure, are not about getting, but about giving-in healthy, satisfying relationships that are not fixated on "me, myself and I", but on God, and others. Which is why God models this kind of love, in every aspect of His relationship with His creation, but especially in His relationship with His creatures. Agape love is manifested, not just in God's desire to create us, but especially in His desire to redeem us-to save us from our greedy, selfish sinful nature, so that we can become truly loving, with a love that is not self-gratifying, but self-giving. Interestingly, the Heavenly Virtue, love, or charity, has as its antithesis, the Deadly Sin of "greed". But let's not confuse these only with benevolent, financial giving-as in giving to charitable causes. Because still, such giving often looks over its shoulder and anticipates something in return-a tax deduction, a listing in the donor's guide, maybe even public recognition or thanks. Greed is not just being selfish about money-it can be selfishness about anything related to self. Just as charity in the sense of love, is unlimited loving kindness toward all others. That's why in the Bible, agape is just as often translated as charity, as love. Because it has to do with unconditional love or caritas-which is an unearned, and undeserved gift, not a reward. Which is why, oddly enough, the Muslim idea of love, is so different from the Christian idea. Because in the Koran, Allah's love has different levels or degrees-from the base, which is Allah's general regard for all his creation, to his highest level of love, which is reserved for true believers, those who do good deeds, the pious. Because in the Koran, it specifically says, "Allah does not love him who is sinful"-whereas in the Bible, we read, "while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." You see the unconditional love of God, in the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ gave His life for us. If God only loved the pious, the righteous, those who do not sin-where would the love be in that? And St. Paul says as much, as he suggests that sure, someone might die for a righteous man-but for the ungodly, for the sinful? Why would Jesus die for those people? Because God loves, all people. Because God wants to redeem all people. Because Jesus died for the sins of all. And God manifested agape-love that is self-sacrificing, and charitable toward all-in that Jesus died for us, while we were still sinners! So that divine love, is only truly manifested, by the one true God-the Triune God. And just so, for sinful man, God is love, only "in Christ". Martin Luther writes, " 'God is love' is a well-known text. In fact, God is nothing but Love. But who is able to believe this? St. John says not only that God is Goodness, but also that He is love.He who knows God as wrathful, hostile, as an Enemy and a Judge, does not know God, because he does not know the love in God. You see how much we still have to learn in Christ. All human hearts are blind, fearful, and sad, because they do not know that God is Love. He who knows this is saved. When I ascend to God through Christ, I am able to see love, supreme in God."

     Luther affirms that we only come to know the love of God, through Christ Jesus and His atoning death on the cross. Pope Benedict XVI says the very same thing in his first encyclical, "Deus Caritas Est"-Latin for "God is Love", when he writes, "By contemplating the pierced side of Christ, we can understand that 'God is love'." At the Last Supper, Jesus himself gives a new commandment, saying, not, "love your neighbor as yourself", but "love one another as I have loved you." And how has Jesus loved you? How do we learn from Jesus' love? By contemplating the pierced side of Christ. That is where we come to understand that "God is love." Which is why somewhere, in every church, there ought to be a crucifix. In spite of the Lutherans who come to Saint Luke's with blinders on, who say, "I never knew Lutherans had crucifixes"-we are blessed that we have, right here, right in plain sight, as the focus of devotion and worship-the pierced side of Christ-Jesus dying for us, while we were yet sinners-Jesus being lifted up on the cross as the Savior of the world-because God loves us, because God is love, because in Christ, we see love supreme, in God! And you really see it no where else, but in the cross, in Jesus' sacrifice, in the gift of Himself, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world-as the Lamb of God whose body is broken and whose blood is poured out for us, that we might feast on God's love, that God's love might, through the Lord's Supper, course through our veins, and create in us, clean and loving hearts-hearts that cause us, to love as we have been loved-to love with a love that is not greedy and self-serving, but self-sacrificing and charitable, toward God and others. This is the Heavenly Virtue, "love"-and why it is a "heavenly" virtue-because it is divine-it comes from God, and creates heaven on earth, as we give ourselves away-to God and our neighbor-not for our sake, but for their sake, alone! Let us, this season of Lent, look on the pierced side of Christ-and learn from Him, love!

     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.