Day 21 – THE LOVE OF GOD

I John 4:7-12: “7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

In the rest of chapter 4, John mentions love 27 times. That’s a lot of love. We love because God first loved us. Loving others is the fruit of our relationship with the Father. The popular Christian hymn "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love" was written in 1966 by Catholic priest, Peter Scholtes, in Chicago for an ecumenical youth event, inspired by John 13:35, and it became widely known during the Civil Rights Movement and folk mass era for its message of unity and love.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your unending grace. As You have so deeply loved us, we pray that we also may love one another, for love comes directly from You. Help us to live out this truth every day, so that Your divine presence remains within us and Your love is brought to completion among us. Amen.

Have a blessed day! Pr Jenny