Fr Xavier Writes 10th March 2024
It’s so impressive that the most deeply moved truth is that we are forever loved by God. We do believe, as Christians, with all
conviction, that God’s love reaches down into our sick, bruised and hurt world in the person of Jesus and this is the very essence of
the gospel story - “God so loved the world that he sent his only son, so that whoever believes in him may not die, but may have
eternal life”. God does love us, to the extent of offering His life to all and He excludes nobody.
We come to realise the magnitude of God’s love for us by looking at the crucifix. All life’s cruelties, hatred and injustices are
concentrated in that cross, planted on the hill of Calvary, and the passion and death of Christ mean that it has become the supreme
proof of God’s love. When all else fails, the despairing and the lonely are drawn towards that far-off cross, aware that there is
someone to turn towards. The upright cross, once a sign of shame and humiliation, becomes a channel of healing grace. The tree of
death becomes the tree of victory.
The first reading tells how Israel, as a nation, has been disobedient to the law of God and scorned his love. They broke the covenant
and brought about the destruction of their temple and city. Many appeals through the prophets went unheeded and, even in the
darkest hours of exile, God never abandoned them but kept calling them back. This is a stark reminder of what happens when we
refuse to take God’s love seriously and reject it out of hand. It brings home to us that we, also, are faced with the choice of accepting
or rejecting God’s love, which is stronger than death. God respects our personal freedom and will not force His love on us against our
wishes.
As we approach the halfway mark in our Lenten journey, it is time to review if our lives are joyful responses to God’s love. Is His love
finding expression in the way we live? What are we doing to bring the love of God into the lives of our friends? Lent is a call to step
out of the ways of darkness into the light of Christ.
Let us all reciprocate the Love of God.
Have a fruitful week ahead.
