Sunday , the First Week of Advent

Love

John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

We begin with love because we believe that that’s where everything begins. The entire universe, space/time and everything in it: galaxies, stars, planets, moons, light and dark, gravity and motion; all these things, taken together, are one great act of love. And you and I also began in love; if not necessarily that between a man and woman, still the love of God. And, regardless of the circumstances of conception, every child who lives does so because of someone’s care, nurture, devotion, or at least minimal attention; someone’s love.

The Apostle John goes so far as to say that God is love. (1 John 4:16) But this is not just a theological mantra. It’s the driving reality of all that is. And the story he is about to tell in his gospel, his “good news”, is the unfolding of love.

As John begins he understands that most of us are a bit nervous, if not terrified, around this much love. We are aware of our unloveliness and the unloveliness of others. We see the violence, selfishness, hatred and abuse, that characterize the world in which we live, and we’re not sure we really want a loving God to show up. Will he not come in judgment, “a consuming fire” as the prophets warned? Will we not be consumed by such a love?

Well, yes and no. He comes to enter in, to own the world and love it. He comes to claim everything that is his own; everyone who belongs to him. He comes like a shepherd for the strays, a doctor for the sick, a father or mother for the rebellious children. He comes to Bethlehem that has no time or space for him; to simple shepherds and mysterious magi who will make time and space; to Mary and Joseph who will love and cherish him, and King Herod who will fear and hate him. He comes to you and me, not to condemn, but to save. He comes to consume, yes, but not to destroy; to change us, the world, the universe; to bring it all to consummation.

But we don’t want to change. We don’t know how to change. We’re afraid to change. So we do not begin with change, we begin with love because we believe that that’s where everything, even change, begins.

Take a moment and think about someone you love. What does it mean to love her or him? How does it feel? What does it do? Perhaps it would be a good idea to visit, call or write, just to say "I love you".

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