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Gospel Reading for April 15, 2026 – John 3: 16-21
NEVER GIVE UP
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten 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. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
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God will NEVER GIVE UP on us. He will always find a way to draw us back to him—where we truly belong. He could have sent a superhero instead of his only-begotten Son, but his love for us was so great that he chose to let his Son become one of us, to suffer, and even to die the death of a criminal.
When Adam and Eve turned away from him, God set in motion his plan of salvation—a plan that unfolded for 2,000 years, more or less, from Abraham to the time of Jesus. He sent prophets to prepare Israel for the coming of the Savior. The people rejected them—and even rejected his Son. Yet God is eternal; He has power not only over evil, but even over death itself. We witnessed his mighty power and glorious victory in raising Jesus from the dead.
Because of this, we now share in his victory over evil. We are no longer meant to be enslaved by sin. And if we remain faithful to him throughout our lives, though we may die, we too shall rise to eternal life with him.
Let us reflect on the theme song of World Youth Day 1995 written by Trina Belamide, TELL THE WORLD OF HIS LOVE –
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 his 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.
