During his last supper with his disciples on the eve of his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus speaks of his glory and the glory of his Father. It is the cross which Jesus speaks of here. The cross of Jesus reveals the tremendous love and mercy of God the Father and his beloved Son for the human race. That is why St. John says in his Gospel, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

There is no greater glory and honor that one can offer than the willing sacrifice of one’s life for the sake of another. This is the true nature of love—the total self-giving and free offering of one’s life for the good of another. A mother who loves her child will do everything in her power to nurture, protect, and save the life of the child. A soldier devoted to his country’s welfare will endure any hardship and suffering and willingly sacrifice his own life to defend his people. God the Father showed the unfathomable depth of his love and mercy by willingly offering his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. To ransom a slave God gave his only Son. That slave is you and I and the whole human race which is bound in sin and death and separation from God. The Lord Jesus died for our sins to bring us abundant new life in his Spirit and to restore our nature in the true image and likeness of God. God did not create evil and suffering, but through suffering he conquers evil with goodness, truth, mercy and righteousness.

According to St. Augustine, “God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love.” God’s love is direct, personal, and wholly oriented to our good welfare and happiness. Adam disobeyed because he listened to Satan’s lie and deceptive promise to glory apart from God. We sin because we love ourselves more than we love God and our neighbor. Only the cross can break the curse of sin and bring full restoration of body, mind, and soul. The cross of Christ sets us free to live no longer for ourselves but for Christ and his kingdom of peace, joy, and righteousness. Our calling and privilege is to serve as Christ has served and to love and he has loved. That is the way we share in the glory of our heavenly Father who gave us his beloved Son who laid down his life for each one of us.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, your love has no bounds and surpasses everything we could desire and long for. Fill us with the fire of your love and the joy of the Holy Spirit that we may freely serve our neighbors with loving kindness and mercy. Help us to always be a Good Samaritan to others. Amen.

With love and prayers,

Fr. Charley