The readings for today help us stop for a moment and reflect on the immensity of God’s love for the world and how it has persisted throughout history.
God so loved the world that He created it with goodness and made humans in His image and likeness to be co-creators and caretakers. But the man and woman sought with pride to obtain the knowledge of good and evil and sin entered the world.
God so loved the world that He wiped the world clean with a deluge choosing one family and two of every living creature to restore the goodness of creation. But the sin of humanity persisted and with pride they built a tower to reach to the height of heaven.
God so loved the world that He chose one man, Abraham, to father a great nation through which all of the families of the earth would find a blessing and the promise of salvation. But through famine and family deception his progeny, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, became enslaved in Egypt.
God so loved the world that He revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush giving him the power and authority to release Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. But with impatience and faithlessness the people demanded a golden calf and worshiped the idol in the desert.
God so loved the world that He renewed the covenant with Moses as “The LORD, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity” (Exodus 34:6b). But they remained a stiff-necked people grumbling and murmuring for forty years in the wilderness.
God so loved the world that He brought them into the Promised Land and gave them judges as military heroes and charismatic leaders to guide them in the midst of conflict and oppression. But caught in a cycle of rebellion and sin the people demanded a king like other nations.
God so loved the world that He granted their wish and the nation became a royal kingdom with the promise of an everlasting dynasty and heir to the throne. But the kings became tyrants and the nation fell into apostasy.
God so loved the world that He sent prophets to warn the people to change their ways and return to the LORD. But idolatry and injustice flourished, and captivity and exile became their fate.
God so loved the world that He brought freedom to the captives and returned them to their homeland. But wickedness resumed and the nation was conquered by the Greeks and occupied by the Romans, so that Israel cried out for a savior.
God so loved the world that he sent his only Son to preach the good news of redemption. But they tortured and hung him on a cross.
God so loved the world that he raised his Son from the dead, “so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16b). And God so loved the world that he sent the advocate, the Spirit of truth to spread the good news through his holy apostles and establish a Church, a beacon of hope and source of salvation for all who have entered for over two thousand years.
This is what we celebrate today on this Feast of the Most Holy Trinity: The salvation that comes from the love of God, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17).
