John 3:16

From bumper stickers to T-shirts, this verse for St. John is touted across the country. What's all the hullabaloo about? Translated from numbers to words, it reads: "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." It is so often referred to and so popular because it sums up in one sentence what theologians and Scripture scholars have written volumes about: the nature of God, the gift of his Son for our redemption, the necessity for faith, and the promise of eternal LIFE! This is something to be excited about and to shout about from the balconies. In our post-Easter reflections on the resurrection, the words of the angel who freed the apostles from prison one night are relevant to us today: "Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life." (Acts 5: 20). Do we fully understand and appreciate "this life"? There's food for long thought. Even more challenging: Are we ready to take our place in the "temples" of our family, our workplaces, our circle of friends, and "tell everything about this life"? If we sit and absorb the first part of John's succinct summary of the Christian LIFE, our convictions, our appreciation, and our courage will deepen. Along with our Alleluia's, our ACTIONS will speak the message of what real living is about: total trust in God, total abandonment into God's hands, total confidence in God's love. The cost of risking ridicule for talking about what people really want to hear is minimal when compared to what God has freely given us. May this day see us LIVING our beliefs.
Bro. Rene