God Is Love

INTRODUCTION

Drawn to the Blessed Sacrament in her young age, the author experienced God’s immense, personal and unconditional love. This awareness calls for a response in return to love God and neighbor. In practical terms this means to be the first one to love every person.

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“Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” (1John 4:8)

I grew up in a Christian family, always in an atmosphere of love. But as I went to a university outside the comfortable confines of my provincial home and studied in the big city of Metro Manila, I realized that I was tossed in an environment where I have to think deeply, to the point of questioning my core beliefs.

I was a student leader during the Third Quarter Storm. My fears, anxieties and responsibilities drew me to the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel inside the campus, where I could have deep and profound conversations with Jesus.

Later, when I joined the Christian community, I found myself experiencing God’s immense and personal love. God is love and He loves each of us unconditionally. This great love of God calls for a response of love. It calls for a profound choice of putting God at the center of our lives.

It was then that the first Commandment that Jesus gave us, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength,” (Mark 12:30) resonated in my heart. Then, the second commandment that orders the bond of love follows, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Recently, we celebrated the fourth anniversary of the death of my husband. My youngest daughter wrote to her dad in a blog that made me understand how much my husband loved our children. “Daddy, it’s that time of year again. There are so many things that happened this year that I wish you were still around. You used to tell me not to waste my time because one day, I would wake up and find that my whole life has passed me by.”

Clearly, there is this authentic relationship between father and daughter. If my daughter feels the love of her dad so much, even in his passing, what happens when we pause and reflect on God’s immense love? I am sure it will open a stream of love that will flow to every member of our family.

So how do we live communion with “God is love” in practical terms, counting on the immense love of the Father? I pick up from a message I just received.  “Give witness to our love for all. Love truly, be the first one to love every person, understanding and anticipating his/her need, deal with the person with patience, perseverance and trust, with open hands, so our spiritual life takes a step forward filling us with joy.”

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