Hello friends!
Happy Saturday with a short reflection on Scripture that has tugged on my heart this week.
The Church provides us with the most beautiful readings in the Easter season. We have been working our way through Jesus’ farewell discourse in the Gospel of John (John 14-17). This week we read, “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love’” (John 15:9).
As the Father loves me.
How does the Father love you, Lord?
To dig into this before becoming practical, we can look to the Nicene Creed. In the Creed, we profess Jesus is the “Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.”
Consubstantial. Jesus possess the same divine substance or nature as the Father.
The Father loves Jesus like Jesus is part of his being, of his very self.
Friends, specifically parents, and more specifically mothers, isn’t this the language of parenthood? As a mother, this reality of the Father loving Jesus as part of his substance resonates so deeply with loving my children in part because they are of my substance. My genes, yes, but in the most enfleshed way, they were in my body and then came forth from my body.
We know a hint of the kind of love the Father has for the Son, so we can catch a glimpse of the kind of love the Son has for us.
As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Jesus loves us like we are part of his body. We are part of his body. As Church, we are each one of us and all of us parts of Jesus’ body. Each one of us connected to him and to each other through the bond of divine love pulsing through his veins.
God, give us the grace to know and the faith to believe this miraculous love you have for us. And when we do, help us to remain there with you.
Christ’s peace be with you and those dear to you today!
Caitlan