Gospel Reading for September 14, 2024 – John 3: 13-17
IMMENSE LOVE
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
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If God did not love us so much,
– He would not have sent a Saviour and just let us deteriorate and self-destruct with all the evil around us;
– He would not have sent his only Son to save us and just create a superhero to do the work for him;
– He would not have chosen a poor family for his only Son to come from and be disrespected by his own townspeople and the learned;
– He would not allow his only Son to suffer in Calvary and die on the cross;
He DIGNIFIED death on the cross, the lowliest punishment given to a criminal during that time.
As we celebrate today the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, we remember God’s IMMENSE LOVE for us. The cross has become a VERY POWERFUL SYMBOL of his IMMENSE LOVE.
We remember the song TELL THE WORLD OF HIS LOVE written by Trina Belamide for World Youth Day 1995 –
For God so loved the world
He gave us His only Son
Jesus Christ our Savior
His most precious one.
He has sent us His message of love
and sends those who hear
to bring the message to everyone
in a voice loud and clear.
Let us tell the world of His love;
The greatest love the world has known;
Search the world for those who have walked
astray and lead them home.
Fill the world’s darkest corners
with His light from up above.
Walk every step, Every mile, Every road
and tell the world, Tell the world of His love!
Our Lord our savior, our king
Emmanuelle, prince of peace;
Begotten of the Father’s love,
born to set us free.
Let heaven and earth sing His praises;
His righteousness proclaim.
Let every heart rejoice in His love
and magnify His name!
