Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-67) - We are His Handiwork

Dearest Goddaughter,

John the Evangelist wrote: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. . ." THAT is how much God loves each and everyone of us but, in the busyness of our modern lives, we seem to have forgotten this simple yet profound reality that is of great importance. God created us. We are his handiwork work.

Why is it that we prefer the darkness of this world to the light of Christ? We are not unlike the Israelites, who "princes of Judah, the priests, and the people  added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the LORD’s temple  which he had consecrated in Jerusalem," as we hear in today’s first reading. They they mocked the messengers of God,  despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets, until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed that there was no remedy." We have ears so we ought to hear. We have eyes so ought to see. Lest we become like the Israelites and incur the wrath of God.

Jesus does not mince words when he said, ". . .everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,  but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." We believe in God and in his goodness is to love Him. To love God is to believe in Him and his goodness. These are his commandments - love God, love our neighbors. But first is, love God.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23, Eph 2:4-10, and Jn 3:14-21 (below).

. . .

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, 

so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, 

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish 

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, 

but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, 

but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, 

because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

And this is the verdict,

that the light came into the world, 

but people preferred darkness to light,

because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light

and does not come toward the light, 

so that his works might not be exposed.

But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, 

so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.