God is love is the greatest single statement about God in the whole Bible. There is no doubt that love is the essence of the Christian faith and life. For God is love, we are called to live in love as Christians. This life of love is not how we love, but how Jesus loves us. Our love is imperfect and erroneous but God´s love is perfect.
Jesus´ teaching on the vine branches, the vine, and the vinedresser is a fundamental reality of our human and spiritual that without Him we are nothing. The life of vine branches (us), the vine (Christ Jesus) and its dresser (God) is one of total dependence in a healthy manner to bear abundant fruits! If we are nothing and can do nothing with Christ. Then, our lives and existence should be abiding in Christ through whom we live, move, and exist. What does it mean to abide in Christ Jesus?
The Fourth Sunday of Easter usually known as the Good Shepherd Sunday reminds us that, Christ is our gateway to life and salvation. On this day, we are encouraged by the Church to reflect on the meaning of the Resurrection. That is, we celebrate the Risen Christ as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.
Today, the readings are all about repentance and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. Indeed, forgiveness is the gift of the Risen Christ in the early Christian communities. That is the forgiveness of sins that encourages us to seek a new life in Christ and the need not to be afraid.
Christ is the visible face of the Divine Mercy of God. The most evidential proof is that God is not a moralist legalist or sadist bent on eternal punishment for sinners. It is the unfathomable mercy and grace at work in us even in our sinful state. “Where sin abounds, grace (or mercy) abounds much more.” Romans 5:20
Alleluia! Defeat has been turned to Victory. Alleluia! Alleluia! The victim is now the Victor. Alleluia! Alleluia! Good has overcome evil. Alleluia! Alleluia! Life has been restored over death. Alleluia! Alleluia! Love has conquered hatred. Alleluia Alleluia! Light has dispelled the darkness! Alleluia! Alleluia. Virtuousness has replaced viciousness and sins. Alleluia! Alleluia! Forgiveness has been written over condemnation. Alleluia!
From the historical viewpoint, Jesus’ passion and death were a result of the excuses of men and the betrayal of the truth. In a nutshell, the passion and death of Jesus Christ is an exemplification of courage versus cowardice on the part of all the actors involved.
From Christ himself to the least participant in the passion and death narrative. In Christ, we see a journey of courage from the inception of his public ministry till his death on the cross.
In life, someone argues, there is meaning in dying in loving services for others. True life’s meaning is found when we live for others. This is because there is an absurdity that comes with life. When this sense of absurdness engulfs us with a sense of uncertainty and insecurity life becomes meaningless. In a moment like this, we can only find fulfillment and a sense of meaningfulness in the service of others through God.
The Christian life is full of an amazing and rejoicing grace in God when our souls meet with true repentance of sins and embrace the unfathomable mercy of God. No one is a Christian because he or she merits being one. It is all grace and nothing but grace. This is the most humble fact we must be conscious of daily.
God is love (1 John 4:8). Hence, to love is not only to be religious and spiritual but also to be God-like. Inarguably, love is at the basis of our religious teaching, preaching, doctrines, theology, philosophy, ideology, practices, and even rituals and rites. If these are devoid of love then religion is as useless as any human venture.