Incredible

The Gospel of John is proclaimed:

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love (John 15).

Commenting on this teaching of Jesus, St. John Henry Newman says:

Reflect, O my soul, and bow down before this awesome mystery, that as the Father loves the Son, so does the Son love you. What mystery in the whole circle of revealed truths is greater than this? (Hope in God – Creator).

In his humanity, Jesus experiences the love of his Father, and this is the love he has for us.

Incredible.

We need a lifetime to get our heads and hearts around this magnanimous truth.

A saint from a much earlier time – St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) – phrases it like this:

You are my Creator, eternal Trinity, and I am your creature. You have made of me a new creation in the blood of your Son, and I know that you are moved with love at the beauty of your creature, for you have enlightened me (Dialogue on Divine Providence).

Here the accent is on the beauty of God’s creature – which of course is not only Catherine herself, but you, me and countless others.

Amen.