20 April 2023
Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
How do we know the Father’s love for this world, for each of us? John writes in our Gospel today that “The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.” Jesus, in turn, has given everything over to us. His very identity. His teaching. His Father. His Mother. His Church. His Spirit. His Body and Blood. Everything He has, everything He is: everything His Father had given Him. All this occurred on the Cross, for “…God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8). Jesus poured out the contents of His entire being for us, for love of us: the Cross is proof of God’s love for this world, for you, and a sure sign that there is not anything He would not do to save us, for “God is spirit,” (John 4:24) and “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and “He does not ration his gift of the Spirit,” the gift of His Love…the gift of Himself.