A teremtéstől adventig

The lecture attempts to reveal the origin and meaning of the commonplace that Christmas is the celebration of love. We know the erotic, fraternal, community and solidarity aspects of love and we need to make a clear distinction between them. It is hardly by chance that the Christian translators of the Old Testament did not use the Greek word 'eros' which denotes the compelling power of desire, nor the word 'filia' which denominates the love of something we happily cling to. Instead, they used the word 'agape', meaning to put another before oneself, to be contented with something, to accept. Love is God's act towards the world, towards us, which manifests itself through Christ and which we can enjoy through the Holy Spirit. How does Man respond to God's initiation of love? With the acceptance of God's redeeming initiative - this is the greatest act of faith. The great joy of Christmas calls us to yield to God's exhortations leading us into a new life through his love. God's love is a sacred love, it urges a way of life and behavior which no human law can oblige man to follow. But why should love be commanded when love itself commands? The unconditional love of God can only be experienced by those who show it in their own lives.