I think it’s safe to say that this weekend’s Gospel passage is one of the most quoted passages of all time. As a kid, I can even remember people holding up signs that said “John 3:16” at sporting events, and other large public gatherings. It’s a good message for us to remember, because it reminds us of the depth of God’s love for us, his children. He loved us so much that he sent his only son, so that we might not perish, but have eternal life.
While we all are familiar with this verse, I think it is equally important to look at what follows this famous passage. In the very next verse, Jesus says: “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” He then makes it clear that the works of faith that we do are a response to the love that we have received from God.
The question we need to ask ourselves is this: do we know that we are loved? Do we live our lives in response to the love that we have received? Or does fear sometimes get in the way of our faith and trust in God’s love? Can we accept that God is for us, not against us, and that he does not come to condemn those whom he loves?
When we live our lives in fear of condemnation, it causes us to believe that we must be perfect, and that if we fail to be perfect, we will be cast out of God’s kingdom. This attitude can lead to a whole host of spiritual problems, including scrupulosity and despair. All we can see is our sinfulness, and we give in to the false belief that we cannot be loved because of our sins. And yet, St. Paul reminds us in the letter to the Romans that “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” He also reminds us in our Second Reading that our salvation is a gift from God, who is rich in mercy.
Our challenge, as we continue this Lenten season, is to allow ourselves to experience and receive God’s love. When we allow the love of God to come into our hearts, it changes everything about how we live. We no longer need to live in fear. We know that God desires to help us grow in holiness, and will help us to overcome our shortcomings. As we go through this week, I invite you to examine ways that you can place your trust in God, and allow yourselves to more fully experience God’s love.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Steven Huber, CSB