St. Agape and Godiva Chocolates

On February 15, we honor St. Agape. She was a virgin martyr who followed St. Valentine who we honor on February 14. There’s not much about her—just that she and her group of virgins were put to death around 273 A.D.

Being a word and history nerd, I looked up agape. The first definition was wide open, especially with surprise or wonder.” That describes my 14 year old son except his mouth is always open from eating or whining. Surely that image is not related to a brave martyr

But then the second definition was kind of cool that the word “agape” is from ancient Greek meaning the highest form of love. 1 John 4: 7-8 states “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who love is begotten by God and knows God; Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.”
And Agape’s feast day follows the more “commercial form” of love or even infatuation (Sorry Valentine. I’m sure you didn’t want your memory sullied by a naked baby with wings and a bow or Godiva chocolates).

Agape, in my simple definition, is a parent’s love or more importantly, God’s love for us, his unrepentant brood of sinners, liars, non-believers and thieves. Ack—what a horrible family the human race is.

One of my biggest faults is being judgmental, and researching St. Agape or even finding out what her name exactly means made me cringe. I used to be a Child Protective Services investigator. I was the one who visited filthy homes with drug-addicted mothers and called the judge for custody. At first, it was heartbreaking and I was fast approaching burn-out. Then my attitude changed. I viewed, somewhat arrogantly, as ‘an avenging angel’. Who else would save these children?

Although I was very competent and dedicated to my job, the focus of my job shifted. Instead of doing a type of “agape” love, I was working for the glory of myself. How full of myself I was!

I am still full of myself because I am, after all, human, but growing up is hard to do, and I tell my kids maturing is a lifelong process. Hopefully, at the end of our lives when we stand to be judged by God and God alone, our mouths will not be agape but our hearts full of agape.