"god is love"
"Love, then, consists in this: not that we have loved God, but that He has loved us and has sent His Son as an offering for our sins." —1 John 4:10
God loved the world so much (see Jn 3:16) that He:
- created us,
- became a man,
- died on the cross for us,
- rose from the dead for us,
- offers us a share in His divine nature through Baptism (2 Pt 1:4),
- forgives all our sins,
- makes it possible for us to be His sons and daughters,
- invites us to be members of His Body, the Church,
- wants us to live in Him and He in us (see Jn 6:56),
- gives us His Body and Blood in Holy Communion,
- wants to make us a "royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Pt 2:9), and
- will return to take us to the perfect love and happiness of heaven.
God is indeed Love (1 Jn 4:8, 16), and there is no greater love than His perfect, infinite, unconditional, eternal love. We "love because He first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19). Therefore, let us live in His love (Jn 15:9-10) and love one another (1 Jn 4:7), especially our enemies. Let us love even to the point of laying down our lives for our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 Jn 3:16). Remain in Love and remain in God (1 Jn 4:16).
Prayer: Father, on this day of the Christmas season, give me "love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith" (1 Tm 1:5).
Promise: "God's love was revealed in our midst in this way: He sent His only Son to the world that we might have life through Him." —1 Jn 4:9
Praise: Elizabeth prayed in great faith for her children and their children every day until her last.
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 16, 2018
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