A Reflection of Love

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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life."
(John 3:16)

The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you during this 2001 Holy Feast of the Resurrection.

Love is an act of giving, "love does not seek its own" (I Corinthians 13:5). The Father gave His Only Begotten Son. The Son, the Lord Jesus Christ gave too. His most endearing acts of giving were while upon the Holy Cross. He gave forgiveness to His persecutors, gave Paradise to the thief on His right side, gave His blessed mother a spiritual son, gave St. John the blessing of accommodating His mother, and gave the Father the price of Divine Justice.

The Lord Jesus Christ first asked for forgiveness of His enemies. He even gave them an excuse, "for they know not what they do". Although this did not impact the people who were mocking Him, it can be postulated that perhaps it did to the thief on the right who saw the Lord tormented and in great pain. Perhaps the hard-hearted thief on the right observed and then felt the Lord Jesus Christ's love for His persecutors and was transformed. It could have been that the Lord's loving kindness overpowered the thief's fierce nature and he believed.

The thief on the right also demonstrated his great love for the Lord Jesus Christ. The very few hours this thief spent on the cross beside the Lord Jesus Christ were probably the most valuable in his earthly life. It can be surmised that the thief on the right experienced his happiest times while next to the Savior. He was free of personal sins, torment, and of an unscrupulous soul.

John 3:16 further summarize the New Testament Scriptures. The Holy Gospel of St. John clearly states that "everyone" (all people, each and every one of us) "who believes" (recognizes and accepts) "in Him"(In the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Incarnation and the Resurrection) "may not perish" (will not be separated from God, will not be lost, will have their names written in the Book of Life) "but have eternal life"(will be forever united with God).

An example of "believing in Him" before the Resurrection can be found with the centurion at the Holy Cross. Mark 15:39 tells us that "when the centurion who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last breath, he said, 'Truly this Man was the Son of God.'" Love and compassion must have filled the centurion's heart. He witnessed the Lord breathed His last breath and voluntarily give up His life to death. He heard the Messiah's cry, not one of defeat but of separation between the soul and the body; the cry of One trampling down death by death.

The Resurrection brought forth many more instances of love. The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene first. Many have often questioned why. The Holy Scriptures tell of her being healed by the Great Physician of seven demons. No one can imagine the depth of her pain with seven demons abiding in her. When the Lord Jesus Christ healed her, she must have felt immeasurable love for Him. Maybe more than any other, she loved the Lord most. It has often been thought that those deemed incurable, having been blessed with a cure are indeed the most thankful.

The Lord Jesus Christ shows great love toward St. Peter following the Resurrection. St. Peter denied the Lord three times (Matthew 26:69-75) prior to His Crucifixion. Following the Resurrection the Lord asks St. Peter three times to confess his love to the Him. Thus, the Lord's love for St. Peter restored him to leadership in the early church. The Lord Jesus Christ told Simeon Peter to "feed My sheep" (John 21:15).

We are told of Holy Scripture where love brings about spiritual insight. The disciples were at the Sea of Tiberias and the Lord Jesus showed Himself unto the disciples. John 21:7 states, "therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and plunged into the sea." The beloved disciple was the first to perceive that the stranger on shore was the Lord. It is also of significance that the scripture plainly tells us that St. Peter REMOVED his OUTER GARMENT to work.

Lastly, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's Resurrection was not implanted into the hearts of those who were closest to Him, witnessed His miracles, and listened to His teachings. If this was not true then why were the women returning to the tomb with prepared spices and fragrant oils? Even His own disciples doubted the Resurrection and did not believe. When the Lord came upon the disciples from Emmaus, they not believe either. When the Lord Jesus actually stood in the midst of His followers, they did not believe.

The Lord Jesus Christ embraced their weakness with love. He condescended to the weakness of the eleven and said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself! Touch Me and see, a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have" (Luke 24:38-39). The Lord Jesus Christ loved the eleven and convinced them of whom He was and stayed with them until they became sure and believed. He did not leave them but stayed with them a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ's Resurrection was a reflection of true love. Resurrection restored faith to the hearts of many. The Lord did not face doubts with admonition but love. He condescended to the weakness of those who gave up everything to follow Him. They did not remember the deeds done by Him, which no one had carried out prior to Him. Through His love, the disciples were challenged to return to God and also to spread the love of the Lord to the world.

"God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them" (I John 4:16).

The Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy the Old Testament commandments but to fulfill and amplify them. He compressed all the regulations of the Law of Moses into a new commandment found in these verses. We are to love God with everything we are and have.

"And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him. 'Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?' He said to them, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment" (Matthew 22:35-38).

Let us pray that with this Holy Feast of the Resurrection we will not just simply believe that we should love the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor will it be enough to work at proving our love to God. But rather as we reflect upon the One who is Risen we will open our hearts up to His love as the youngest of the chosen eleven, St. John, and inspiringly believe.

H.G. Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States