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“For God so loved the world…”

In this Easter Season we hear much about God the Father’s character, i.e., what He is all about.

Each of us may see God the Father in different ways. Perhaps some really connect with what Jesus told us, He is our dad, a loving and caring Father. For others, we may see Him as a judge. Some may see in Him the balance of justice and mercy. St. John, the beloved disciple, would later write much about the character and nature of love as found in God: So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. (1 John 4:16-18) The thought of God as love moves John to talk about God’s love “perfected among us.” The Greek word translated “perfected” (teleios) means “reaching a goal”, or “finishing” and “completing” something. It is the word Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Jesus was telling the world that in His death God’s redeeming work was finished, having reached the Father’s goal.

As much as John speaks of love he speaks of us. He uses words like we, us, and those who abide. God’s perfect love completed the work of salvation in Jesus on the cross, but we who abide here still have much to do. As we accord more and more to the way of Jesus we reach a perfection of love that is like the Father’s. We come into a unity of love as exists between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God’s love takes active action in us reaching love’s goal and causing His Kingdom to grow. We have a goal we are headed toward. So, let us live His love in greater and greater ways, eventually reaching that point where we can truly empty ourselves for love of our brothers and sisters, and can say along with Jesus, we have completed our work.

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Welcome to our May 2025 Newsletter. A bit late, but here nonetheless. We continue to celebrate the fifty day Easter Season. We celebrate our moms and our heavenly mother, Mary. We look forward to great summer events – read up on them. All that and more in our May 2025 Newsletter.