Fr. Christodoulos Papadeas on Love and Sacrifice in Christian Life
3:44
What the video says
The speaker says love and sacrifice are two sides of the same coin, citing St. John Chrysostom, and that the foundation of Christian life is love, referencing 1 John's statement that one who does not love his brother cannot love God. Christ's sacrificial love on the cross is the model, taking our struggles so we may become pure and part of his body.
There are many kinds of love, motherly, fatherly, romantic, which God gives to lead us to his fullness. In marriage, suffering requires one spouse to sacrifice for the other, and St. Basil the Great says we wish long life to realize love's fullness. Followers of Christ take up the cross as monastics, clergy, or in professions like doctors, lawyers, teachers, and social workers, showing love because they know why they do it.
Key moments
- Love and sacrifice are two sides of the same coin (St. John Chrysostom); the foundation of Christian life is love, as 1 John says one who does not love his brother cannot love God.
- Christian life is founded on Christ's sacrificial love: he came down, went to the cross willingly, taking our worries and imperfections so we might become pure and part of his body; love is the key, and various loves (motherly, fatherly, romantic) are gifts leading to God's fullness.
- In marriage, suffering arises and one spouse must sacrifice for the other; St. Basil the Great says we wish long life to realize the fullness of love; husband and wife leave parents to become one and sacrifice for each other and their children.
- Again notes love and sacrifice as two sides of the coin (St. John Chrysostom); followers of Christ take up the cross as monastics, clergy, or in worldly vocations, social workers, teachers, coaches, doctors, lawyers, using God's gifts to show love, and if they are Christian, people feel that love.
Fr. Christodoulos Papadeas of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver reflects on love as the essence of Christian life. He explains that agapi, self-giving love, is the heart of the Gospel, revealed in Christ who takes upon Himself the struggles of humanity to heal and purify. Love and sacrifice belong together, and the priest cites St. John Chrysostom that they are two sides of the same coin.
The foundation of Christian life is love, referencing 1 John's teaching that one who does not love a brother cannot love God. Christ's sacrificial love on the cross is the model: He came down, went to the cross willingly, taking our worries and imperfections so we might become pure and part of His body. Various forms of love, motherly, fatherly, romantic, are gifts from God that lead toward His fullness.
In marriage, suffering arises and one spouse must sacrifice for the other; St. Basil the Great says we wish long life to realize the fullness of love. Husband and wife leave parents to become one and sacrifice for each other and their children. Followers of Christ take up the cross as monastics, clergy, or in worldly vocations such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, social workers, and coaches.
In these roles, Christians use God's gifts to show love, and people feel that love because they know why they do it. Every human relationship becomes a place where love is learned, purified, and deepened. Marriage, family life, suffering, vocation, and service all become opportunities to carry the Cross of Christ.
True love for God is tested in love for the neighbor, as St. John the Evangelist teaches. Christians are called to make the presence of Christ felt through sacrificial love whether as parents, spouses, doctors, teachers, lawyers, or servants of the Church.
Main points
- Love and sacrifice are two sides of the same coin (St. John Chrysostom); the foundation of Christian life is love, as 1 John states that one who does not love his brother cannot love God.
- Christ's sacrificial love on the cross is the model: He took our struggles and imperfections so we might become pure and part of His body; various loves (motherly, fatherly, romantic) are gifts leading to God's fullness.
- In marriage, suffering requires one spouse to sacrifice for the other; St. Basil the Great says we wish long life to realize love's fullness; husband and wife become one and sacrifice for each other and their children.
- Followers of Christ take up the cross as monastics, clergy, or in professions such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, social workers, and coaches, showing love because they know why they do it.
- Every human relationship becomes a place where love is learned, purified, and deepened; marriage, family, suffering, vocation, and service are opportunities to carry the Cross of Christ.