We drove southeast to Houston to attend a Houston Symphony performance of the Very Merry Pops. Family members have season tickets and they invited us to join them. We used to regularly attend the Christmas Pops when we lived in Houston, and it is an excellent way to get into the Christmas spirit. This year’s vocalist was Betsy Wolfe, a gifted artist who performs in the Broadway musical & Juliet. The Houston Chorus also sang with the symphony.
The music ranged from traditional carols to new Christmas arrangements. Naturally Santa showed up, but commercialism was balanced by Wolfe singing a heartfelt O Holy Night that celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ. A Hanukkah composition highlighted the beginning of the Jewish holiday which begins on December 25th.
Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You, the most popular Christmas song, turned 30 this year. The original 1999 video shows her dancing in the snow wearing a red parka, playing with dogs, and riding in a reindeer sled. Inside her cozy home, she decorates the Christmas tree, places gifts under it, and playfully frolics. It is a romantic love song set during the Christmas season. I enjoy this festive tune and Wolfe was confident enough to sing it during the Pops concert. Given that just about every American has heard this music, a vocalist must sing it well; Wolfe pulled it off with gusto.
This past Sunday was the third Sunday of Advent when Christians light the candle of love. Many churches use a pink candle instead of a purple candle during the third Advent week. I am not sure how this tradition started but it must be a recent change since I don’t remember a pink candle in Advent wreaths when I was a child.
The ancient Greeks did not have just one word for love. In fact, they subdivided our English all-encompassing word ‘love’ into at least six words with different meanings. Mariah Carey sings about eros, primarily a romantic, sexual passion. It means “intimate love.” This type of love is more than sexual; it includes the inner truth and beauty of the loved person. Lovers are inspired to seek this type of connection prior to sexual passion. Although Mary, the mother of Jesus, did not have sexual relations when she conceived, Christians do celebrate God’s truth and inner beauty found in the Christ child.
Another Greek word for love is philia, which translate as affectionate friendship. This is not a physical love, but a dispassionate virtuous love between equals. This type of love can be incurred amongst loyal work colleagues, close friends, and family members. The city of Philadelphia is called the city of brotherly love, which originated from this Greek word. When Christians light the pink candle, this type of love is envisioned.
A third Greek word for love is xenia and is associated with hospitality between guests and hosts. It is the giving of oneself, such as extending unreciprocated shelter or favors. We think of xenia as generosity and courtesy to people we may or may not know. The English word, xenophobia, is derived from this Greek word and means the fear of strangers or foreigners, the opposite of love. Mary and Joseph were given shelter by someone when Jesus was born (Luke 2:7), and were welcomed by shepherds (Luke 2:8–18) and wise men (Matthew 2:1–12). Christians do celebrate this type of love during Christmas through acts of selfless giving, especially to those in need.
Of the many Greek love words, it is agápe that is most linked to Christmas. This is the love of God for humans and the love of humans for God, the highest form of love. It is unconditional love, without any expectation of returned love. It is God’s grace, an undeserved love given to the faithful who repent. Parents agápe their children. They may not condone a child’s action, but agápe is still given. It is the love between the three persons of the Trinity, the agápe feast. When Christians light the candle of love, they are lighting the agápe candle, for Advent is preparing for God’s agápe gift.
In our post-modern world dominated by the English language, we abuse the word love by tossing it into almost any context. We refer to any physical sex as “lovemaking,” without any connection to its eros intimacy, beauty, commitment, and truth. Those who work in service industries do not always connect love (xenia) to their work. It is just another paid job. The concept of agápe, unconditional love, is usually linked to a spiritual “church” love, not a way of life lived by Jesus Christ and his followers. (John 15:8–17)
As we journey through Advent, remember the pink candle that is lit within you. When you think and speak the word “love,” ask yourself: What Greek word for love should be used in this situation? How does the candle of love connect to my faith journey? Mariah Carey’s song is full of romantic feelings and certainly is a festive tune during the holidays. Yet it is not eros but agápe love that is eternal and ushers in the Kingdom, as witnessed in Bethlehem on Christmas Day.
