Trinity Sunday: God So Loved the World

God so Loved the World

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Jn 3: 16 – 18

Introduction

Today is Trinity Sunday. It is a feast that reminds us of who God is. God is a fellowship of persons whom we call the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. Though distinct from one another, they have but one divine nature. This one God, as we hear in today’s reading, so loved the world that he sent his only Son to redeem a world that was lost. 

The Gospel

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
¹⁷ “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Reflection

JOHN 3: 16,  A LIFE VERSE

 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

 John 3: 16 is probably one of the best known verses in the New Testament. Many quote this verse quite often. The popularity of this verse perhaps stems from the fact that it tells us about the great drama of love and redemption between God and man. But basically, this short verse is well loved and remembered because it conveys to us a very basic and simple truth -  that God loves us. Knowing that God loves us makes us special and answers our basic need of being loved. When God loves, he loves us no matter who we are, regardless of whether we’re good or bad. The truth will always remain that God loves us and nothing will ever take us away from this love ( Rom 8: 38 – 39 ). 

John 3: 16, however, also tells us the flipside of this story which tells a different story line. It tells us of the sad tale of man’s refusal to be loved by God and the tragic choice he makes to do evil. In doing evil deeds, man plunges into the dark. Left alone and all by himself, man is doomed. As man drifts aimlessly along the waters of history, he perishes, quickly fades away and is gone forever.  But precisely when all seemed lost and hopeless does God intervene. As mankind spiraled down to perdition, God, out of his great love, gives his only beloved Son so that through him, man may not perish but live. 

It is not surprising to see many people choosing John 3: 16 as their life verse. A life verse is a short verse from the bible that you remember because it touches you deeply. A life verse eventually becomes a guide for life. Remembering and recalling a life verse helps you direct your life and provides purpose to your pursuits in life. 

Many choose John 3: 16 as a life verse because it is the story of their life. People who choose this verse remember how God loved them dearly. The knowledge of God faithfully and unconditionally loving us gives us courage and confidence to face life despite all our faults, our frailties and limitations. Knowing that God is with us at whatever circumstance we may find ourselves in, gives us so much hope even when things are not at their best. 

Others choose John 3: 16 as a life verse because they recall their own misadventures with sin at some point in their lives. But through God’s grace and love, they have turned away from evil and now live their life in God’s sweet embrace. 

For whatever reasons people may have in liking this famous verse, it becomes clear to us that God doesn’t stand idly by when we run into trouble. When we find ourselves in situations that seem hopeless and desperate, God takes notice and finds ways that could either take us out of those situations or improve the conditions where we find ourselves in. God is sensitive to situations where there is pain and suffering, where there is helplessness and despair. God’s sensitivity to these dire situations prompts him to do something and to intervene even to the point, as we see in today’s reading, where he puts his own life on the line through Jesus his own beloved Son. In the final analysis, the real moving force that drives God to do the unbelievable is his incredible and abounding love for us. In giving himself and sacrificing himself totally for us, we are able to get a glimpse of who God is: that God is love. In him we will always find love that is unchanging and ever faithful. Keeping in mind this great love should then give us this unbounded joy deep inside, knowing that no matter what, no matter how good or bad things may have evolved in our life, we will always be assured of that great love that God has shown us through Jesus his Son. 

The next time you hear John 3: 16, remember the story behind the verse.  Remember the story of how God so loved us that he did not hesitate even for a moment to give his own beloved Son so that through him we may have life abundantly.


Prayer

God, how you love us! You love us so much that you gave us what was most dear to you, Jesus your beloved Son. Thank you so much Lord. Thank you for loving me. Amen.

“ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. “  – 2 Cor 13: 14