What Is Love?

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, May 5, 2024:
Sixth Sunday of Easter

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1 John
​4.7-10

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

When I was a teenager and a young adult, I believed with all my heart that love was a  feeling of butterflies in the pit of my stomach and that it caused me to be light-headed and giddy! I was convinced that love was something that would make all my dreams come true and that no part of love was going to be hard for me. I certainly had enough crushes on boys in school and watched enough rom-coms (romantic comedy movies) to be an expert in this area of life! 

Imagine my absolute shock when I came into a deeper relationship with God and was told that love is none of the things I thought and that, in fact, if I wanted a perfect example of love, I only needed to look at the cross. I cannot stress enough that I was petrified that I was going to be called to die in some painful act to prove my love for God, and I knew I would fail miserably! 

So, what has changed? In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. I am enamoured both by the reality of a God who loves me so much and the truth that His love for me is not contingent on my love for Him. This God I love is not seeking to punish me or hurt me. God is love itself and freely offers this love to me. I, in turn, am free to do with this love as I choose, and I choose to love as He loves, to trust that love and, in some small way, be a witness of that love to those around me. 

The fear of a painful death is gone because a God who atones for my sins is not looking to hurt me — leaving me in my sin would do that. God is love. I simply want to empty myself of anything that keeps me from receiving that love. 



Sr. Teresa MacDonald

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