John 3:16 – For God So Loved The World

John 3:16 is the verse that defines Christianity for many Christians and was the topic of this Sunday’s Gospel reading and sermon.

For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

John 3:16

As a parent, I could not imagine turning over my only son to the kind of abuse Jesus would face here on Earth. I have five sons and could not imagine turning over ANY of them!!! I already know I’m going to have a hard time turning Troy over to a college next year, never mind turning him over to a world I knew would persecute him!

I sat in Mass on Sunday thinking of the time we spend sheltering and protecting our children and of how God the Father and Jesus might have discussed the Son’s coming to Earth long before He was sent here.

I imagine the two parts of the Trinity, Father and Son, walking side by side through breathtakingly beautiful gardens in a world that knows no pain, no sorrow, no loss – other than that caused by the fall of man – as they discussed their plan for the world’s salvation.

The Father and Son do not bear sorrow the way mortals do. They do not need to save the world as many of us feel we need to save our home, our job, our marriage, or even our child or in order to be happy. They do not need to save the world in order to be complete. In the Trinity they find a comfort and completeness that no home or job, marriage or child could ever provide.

And yet, they continue to plan for the world’s salvation centuries before Christ comes

Because they so Love the World.

I picture Jesus peering down from Heaven through the clouds to view the world. He would be sent to as an innocent, defenseless child – and I picture Him solemnly agreeing with His Perfect Father that this was the best plan. I picture the Holy Spirit nodding silently behind the Father-Son team as they walked that path. The Holy Spirit agreeing to let Jesus shoulder the agony without stepping in despite His ability and desire to do so.

All three knowing full well the gravity of what they were going to do,
All three knowing full well the gravity of what would happen if they did not.

There was no question of whether those on Earth would appreciate the sacrifice the Trinity was about to make, for when a son suffers, surely those around Him suffer too and mankind would never be able to fully appreciate that sacrifice. There was no question of whether those on Earth were worthy of this sacrifice, for there was no way they could be. There was no question of whether Jesus would do this just for those who treated Him well or for those who treated Him as an enemy, for  even knowing what was ahead for Him, He was teaching us to Love our enemies as the Father Loves us.

And so we are given John 3:16

For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Thank you Jesus for choosing our lives over your own. Grant me the power through your example and the strength of the Holy Spirit to swallow my pride and my pain and to do the same for my children, for my parents, for my friends, family, and neighbors. Help me to be like the Good Samaritan, assisting where it is needed despite what society tells me to do. Help me to follow in your example by Loving even those unworthy of my imperfect Love so that one day we are all united in your goodness.

~ Amen

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God Bless…