According to Saint Paul God sent His Son Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). A sin is a serious offence against God. Yet it was while we were sinners that God sent His Son. Sometimes it’s hard enough to love a friend, a family member, even a son or daughter, husband or wife even when they have done nothing to offend us, but it is especially hard to love when they have hurt us, failed us, abandoned or betrayed us. We could say that they “sinned” against us. It can be hard, and it can take a long time, to over come some of the deep hurts that we inflict on each other.
Yet, while we were still sinners God sent His only, His beloved Son, to show us how much, how deeply, how completely, our Father loves us. He loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. In all He said and did Jesus shows us the depth of the Father’s love. In His preaching and teaching, in feeding the hungry, healing the sick, raising the dead, showing compassion to the sinner and searching for the lost, in suffering and in dying – for us sinners – Jesus shows the extent of the Father’s love for His children. God’s love forgives.
Love can be romantic, and passionate, joyous and tender, but it is also strong, committed, it is a willingness to suffer for the sake of another. Love is willing to make sacrifices because it seeks what is good, and compassionate, and holy, and to spend our energy and our life doing what is necessary for the one we love. But it seems to me that as well as doing good for others the hardest and strongest part of love is that – love forgives. To love one another as Jesus loves us: I wonder what does that love look like in our lives?
The sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross enabled us to receive God’s grace because God was willing to forgive. What healing grace can be released in our lives, and in the lives of our family and friends, if we dare to love each other as Jesus and the Father love us.
A Word of Thanks
I want to thank all those who have helped us to celebrate Easter and the Easter Season with such grace and beauty. Because it all seems to happen around us it can look so effortless, but the truth is, many people work very hard to make our worship of God wonderful faith filled liturgies and parish celebrations. Thanks to all those who served, read, decorated the churches, distributed Holy Communion, prepared bulletins and programs, thanks to the deacons and priests for leading our liturgies, thanks to our instructors and teachers for prepared RCIA candidates and catechumens, our children for confirmation and First Holy Communion, thanks to the grounds keepers and those who set up the paschal fires, thanks to our musicians and cantors. Thanks to all who contributed to our bottom line. Thanks to all of you for your commitment to God, His Church, and our parishes. Things don’t just happen, people make them happen, and you make great things happen in our lives, homes, schools, and communities. God Bless you for all you do. God won’t overlook and God won’t forget.
Fr. Ben