February 27, 2010
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Ibig Love
The Pilipino language uses three words for love. It talks about gusto. Gusto is a sort of aesthetic love. It has come to us to be a sort of romantic love and it stands with all of its beauty. But when we speak of loving those who oppose us we’re not talking about gusto. The Pilipino language talks about mahal and this is a sort of reciprocal love between personal friends. This is a vital, valuable love. But when we talk of loving those who oppose you and those who seek to defeat you we are not talking about gusto or mahal. The Pilipino language comes out with another word and it is ibig. Ibig is understanding, creative, redemptive good will for all. Biblical theologians would say it is the love of God working in the minds of humanity. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. And when you come to love on this level you begin to love people not because they are likable, not because they do things that attract us, but because God loves them and here we love the person who does the evil deed while hating the deed that the person does. It is the type of love that stands at the center of the movement that we are trying to carry on–ibig.
