Thursday 3 April 2008

True Love




This might be slightly odd to post on the cross so soon after Easter, but I really feel it's necessary to comment on something which I think is all to often forgotten in our faith.


Many priests talk about Love and God's love and how this should give us hope and how God is nice and good. But not many talk about the nature of God's love. What do I mean by that?


The Pope the other day as you will see on my Good Friday post, that 'the cross should challenge and question us, because the cross is the true act of Love which is self emptying'. It's an interesting concept that... Self emptying, self denial, to say no to me and yes to God.


Through the cross we understand what it means to Love. Jesus had to die on the cross because 'We' had sinned. He paid the ultimate price which was giving up his own life for us all.


Why did God send his son to the cross? Becuase God loved the world so much that he sent his only son... The Fathers sacrifice of His son and His Son's sacrifice for us show us that when we say 'God loves you' we mean God is willing to give everything for you, willing to die for you, willing to suffer in the most awful way so that you might still share in the New Life of the gospel. That you may one day come to the Kingdom of God, and that you might share in his wonderful gift of Mercy.


We don't mean, that God loves you so you can do whatever you want... Yes, even if you sin God will love you, but you won't be able to reach God unless you repent and unless you allow God to take you where you do not want to go.


Let the cross challenge you, and let it give you hope because ultimately without the cross Jesus could not have saved us. He had to suffer, die and be treated like the worst kind of person, just so that you could have eternal life. And through the cross, death and resurrection we can have that Life and live it abundently.

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