For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life. (John 3:16)
John 3:16 is perhaps the most memorable and most often quoted of all scripture verses. If you’re a sports fan you probably recognize the text because it’s frequently displayed on banners and signs at athletic events. Most Catholics, whose knowledge of the bible leaves a lot to be desired, particularly when compared to the biblical knowledge of most Protestants, are likely to know at least this particular passage by chapter and verse. Why is it so well known? Because John 3:16 reveals why Jesus entered human history. It’s a one-sentence explanation of what we believe; the essence of what we call Good News.
What’s the Good News in John 3:16? First, that God’s relationship to the world is not one of power or of indifference, but of love. The world, in short, is a place loved by God. Like all creation, the world is good, although admittedly not perfect, so terrible things can and do happen here, like what’s happening in Iraq. But through all the calamity, pain, ambiguity, danger, along with joy, and opportunity encountered in the world, God relates to us out of love for us.
Second, God loves us so much that the ultimate expression of that love is to send us himself in the form of Jesus. God’s love is a participating love, such that God engages with us and through us in the work of the world. God becomes part of creation to enable us to participate with him in making a new creation, a better creation, one, for example, without war or injustice. God becomes flesh to spur us to action, so that the love of God can be translated into human form and human effort. Jesus becomes one of us to teach us how to relate to one another, as God relates to us -- out of love. Jesus, therefore, is both God incarnate and love personified.
Pretty heady stuff, huh? Not to mention exhilarating! You’ve just received a two-minute capsule summary of Theology 101, thanks to John 3:16. For those of you who might want to review what I said at a more leisurely pace, perhaps as a Lenten reflection, this homily will be available at our parish website tomorrow.
We believe as Christians that by God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, we are called and empowered to be builders of the kingdom on earth -- a society based on and functioning according to divine plan. In what we do in our daily lives we are to be evidence that the God who acted in the lives of the prophets, martyrs, and saints still acts in the world through us. Acts of God become the acts of those who know and love him, of those who seek to serve him by loving and serving others.
True love bears little resemblance to the love we read about in novels and hear about in popular songs. It’s not a warm, fuzzy feeling, for example, but an attitude, a decision of the heart to put another person’s interests above our own. True love is selfless. It’s a way to rise above our human limitations and link ourselves to God, now and forever, and to everyone around us.
What’s an example from a child’s point of view? Some children were asked, "What is love?" A little girl answered: ‘Love is when your mommy reads you a bedtime story. True love is when she doesn’t skip any pages.’"
An example of what it’s not? A wealthy old man had just recently married a lovely young lady and was beginning to wonder whether she might have married him just for his money. He asked her, "If I lost all my money, would you still love me? She said reassuringly, "Oh honey, don’t be silly. Of course I would still love you. And I would miss you terribly."
From a saint’s perspective? "What does it look like? It has hands to help others; feet to hasten to the poor and needy; eyes to see misery and want; ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of people. That’s what love looks like."
Admittedly, St. Augustine’s view of love, drawn from scripture, isn’t practiced universally. But that the ideal too often doesn’t fit the reality shouldn’t keep us from striving to achieve the ideal. After all, there’s never been an oversupply of kindness, caring, and compassion on our planet. Every day headlines announce new outbreaks of violence -- war, terrorism, crime, child abuse. Extreme poverty, famine, deadly epidemics still exist in the world. Our own personal lives, too, suffer from lack of love. Around us and within us we see selfishness, greed, ambition – lots of people too busy "looking out for Number One" to take time to look out for one another. We know from experience that our hearts reach out to some people easily, but balk at others. Loving humankind in general is easy, loving the guy who comes up to you on the street for a handout, is often something else again.
On Sunday, Pastor Mike delivered a fine homily about love, forgiveness, and tempering anger. During the week he spent, long hard hours building a wooden frame to hold cement for a walkway in front of the parish office. On Saturday he poured the cement, went to the shed for a tool, and on his return found a neighbor boy walking in the new cement. As he sternly lectured the boy, a parishioner watched with interest before asking, "What happened to your advice on Sunday – love, forgiveness, understanding?" After a few moments Fr. Mike answered, "You know, it’s far easier to love in the abstract than in the concrete."
Loving like Jesus is not something that happens automatically. It’s certainly not something that comes easily or naturally. Loving like Jesus has to be learned, and learned again and again. How do we learn to love? We learn to love, as with anything else, by what we live, through our experiences, including our sufferings and trials. Every experience in life is like a chisel chipping away at our life statue, molding, modifying, and sculpting it.
Jesus knew that what he asked of us would require great effort and perseverance. Loving one’s enemies, after all, is true tough love. But Jesus also understood human nature. He understood, for example, that we learn best by mimicking what favorite role models do; that behavior influences attitude; and that what we love shapes and fashions our personalities.
In the small everyday choices we make in relating to people, we determine the kind of person we become. By consciously acting in ways that demonstrate concern for the well being of others, for example, over time such behavior becomes a habit, a life pattern, something we do as effortlessly as walking. Do you recall a child’s first steps? Unsteady at first, a fall or two, repeated attempts, concerted effort, eventually success and then life-long locomotion. The same principle applies in becoming a loving person. It takes practice and results from countless individual decisions and actions.
Jesus challenges us to love others, even our enemies, because doing so brings out the best in others and in ourselves. By treating people as if they were what they ought to be we, like Jesus himself, help them become what they’re capable of being. That’s what I try to do in relating to the people who appear before me in family court. And believe me, sometimes it’s not easy!
Jesus asks us to love selflessly, extravagantly, and without condition, to love the ones who are hard to love and to love most of all during the toughest times. Why? Because for Jesus love is a spiritual drive, the action of faith, the force that will build the kingdom, and the means to eternal life.
Twentieth century theologian Teilhard de Chardin said: "Someday after we have mastered the air, the winds, the tides, and gravity, we will harness for God the energies of love. And then for the second time in the history of the world, humankind will have discovered fire."
Are you and I doing our part in building the kingdom? Are we compassionate and genuinely merciful? Do we value and work for justice? Do we respect all of God’s children? Are we peacemakers? Are we creators of community and celebrators of diversity? Are we unwilling to sit in judgment of others? Do we protect the environment? These are the kinds of questions we need to ask ourselves as we prepare to commemorate our Savior’s ultimate act of love on the cross.
Once a student overwhelmed by the suffering and evil in the world asked the revered teacher and philosopher Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heshel - "Where is God, Where is God?" Rabbi Heshel replied "God is hiding in the world. It’s up to us to reveal God through our deeds."
When you and I reveal God through our deeds, like Jesus himself, we become love personified. We become like placards at a sporting event proclaiming John 3:16.
Anthony J. Sciolino
Fourth Sunday of Lent.
March 30, 2003. (Cycle B)
Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23/24
Ephesians 2:4-10
John 3:14-21.