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To be aware of God’s love is quite the gift, and we might even say, that this awareness is the beginning of every saintly life. And while all the saints have known this, few of them have written about it as beautifully as St. John the Evangelist. Guided by the Holy Spirit, John would write:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). And, God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16); and again, We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
John’s love for Jesus is obvious in the Gospels. As one of the few who will remain with Jesus at the cross, take care of Jesus’ mother following His subsequent death and resurrection (John 19:26-27), as well as believe with very little evidence at the empty tomb, John is a model for all of us.
And yet, rather than boldly claim that he loved Jesus as Peter was wont to do, John, throughout his narrative, felt it necessary to boldly claim that he was loved by God. In John’s mind, and in point of fact, John was God’s beloved disciple.
If only we could see ourselves this same way, we might speak and behave very differently today. We might hope a little more, challenge ourselves to rise above our circumstances, and be steadfast during the tough moments.
Yes, John was right. God is love. God loves you. Today let’s go and live out what that means.