The Bible indicates that love is from God. In fact, “God is love.” Love is one of the primary characteristics of God. Likewise, God has endowed us with the capacity for love since we are created in His image. This capacity for love is one of the ways in which we are “created in the image of God.”

The Greeks had four words to describe what we call love: Eros (romantic love), Phileo (enjoyment, fondness, friendship), Storge (family loyalty) and Agape (unconditional love with stick-ability).

Eros-A love felt particularly within the body (trembling excitement, elation, joy), colored and underpinned by deep and beautiful procreative urges.

Phileo is the love of the soul. It’s about the friendship you feel towards people like you, with the same interests, social graces, and style. In the scriptures, this kind of friendship love is used to describe many relationships. God is said to have this kind of love for us and Jesus. Jesus felt this kind of love for his disciples, parents felt it about their children and children to their parents.

Agape is more of a parental, mature, sacrificial kind of love. Agape puts the beloved first and sacrifices pride, self-interest and possessions for the sake of that beloved. This is the love that God has for us which inspired Him to sacrifice His son and for His son to obey and sacrifice himself. It is the kind of love we are commanded to have for one another. It is a love of supreme greatness.

Storge is the love of community and family. Often dutiful, sometimes unfeeling, but very strong none the less. It is a natural, carnal love, but powerful enough to be a real hindrance to spiritual growth, especially when family and culture are holding you down. It is a love that may pull you towards a lesser path.

Scripture tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8) and everything He does flows from His immense love for us. He loved us so much far beyond what we could ever expect or deserve that He was willing to pay any price to redeem us from our slavery to sin and death.

Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment, a new way of loving and serving one another. Jesus' love was wholly directed toward the good of others. He loved them for their sake and for their welfare. Love exists not because we love, but because we are loved. God loves us whether we recognize it or not.

Blessings! 

 2024 Catholic Ministries Appeal Update

                                             St. Finbarr           St. Patrick           St. Ignatius

Goal                                     $8,305.00           $6,118.00            $9,802.00

Donors                                 17                           20                              37                                                                                                                                                            Total Received YTD           $5,425.00           $7,945.00            $10,505.00                                                                                               

$ Needed to Reach Goal  $2,880                    +$1827                    +$1,703                                                                                                               

Please keep sick, hospitalized & home-bound Tri-Parish members in your prayers.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you would like to add someone to the Tri-Parish prayer chain, send an email to  triparishsecretary@gmail.com

Mass Time:  Sunday Mornings @ 8:30 AM

Mass Time:  Saturday Evenings @ 5:00 PM

Mass Time:  Sunday Mornings @ 10:30 am

Access our FREE Tri-Parish subscription to quality Catholic movies, MP3s, series, eBooks and more!  FORMED provides amazing content 24/7 for you to grow in your faith.  It’s FREE and EASY to Register!  Go to: www.formed.org click on Register(lower right of page), Enter Parish Access Code: PZGRTC, Enter your email and create a password(you need this to login later). This is an incredible Online gateway, all in one place!