How Much God Loves Us?

Today, the world falls silent before the Cross.  We stand at the foot of Calvary and gaze upon a mystery too deep for words: God Himself hangs upon a tree.  Jesus, the Son of the Eternal Father, stretches out His arms in helplessness and surrender - yet in that moment, He reveals the depth and intensity of divine love.

The Blessed Trinity was supremely happy.  Perfect love, perfect joy, perfect unity.  There was nothing lacking.  And yet… They looked upon us, lost in sin, stumbling in darkness, and they loved us.  They loved you and me.  So much so, that God’s Son did not cling to His equality with His Father, but emptied Himself.

He could have saved us by a word, a glance, a whisper.   Just one thought of His mind, one blink of His eye and all the sins of the world could have been erased.  Because anything He did held infinite value in the Father’s eyes.  But no… that would not have revealed the depth of love.  That would not have taught our hearts the true cost of sin.

He came to us as one of us.  And when He chose to die, He did not choose an easy death.  He chose the most shameful, painful, cruel form of execution the world had ever devised.  Roman crucifixion was designed not merely to kill - but to humiliate, to torture, to destroy.

And even that, He did not enter lightly.  He allowed Himself to be handed over. He was betrayed with a kiss.  He was scourged - His sacred flesh torn with a whip that at its end iron and bone to shred His flesh to ribbons.  He was crowned, not with gold, but with large thorns.  He was mocked, spat upon, stripped naked. He bore it all in silence.  And why?

Because love demanded it.

Because sin is not a small thing.  It is not a mistake or a weakness - it is a wound in the heart of God.  And Jesus wanted us to know - visibly, unmistakably - how terrible sin is, and how infinitely greater His love is.

He did not suffer because the Father was cruel.  He suffered because the Father is holy - and sin cannot dwell in holiness.  But instead of abandoning us, the Father sent His Son.  And the Son came freely, saying, “Here I am, I will do Your will.”

Every blow He endured, every drop of blood He shed, every breath He drew on that Cross was a cry of love.  For you and me.

Behold Him now.  Bruised, broken, bleeding.  And believe - this is what love looks like.

So today, let us weep - not just for the pain He bore - but for the sins that caused it.  Let us ask for a horror of sin, not from fear of punishment, but from sorrow that we have wounded such love.  And let us rise with proud gratitude - proud, not in ourselves, but in the God who would go to such lengths to make us His own.

May we never look at a crucifix again without whispering from our hearts: “Thank you, Jesus. I love You too.”

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