God's Great Love - Fr. Paul - September 10, 2023

Judgment and salvation are the two themes presented in today’s Gospel reading. Father Paul poses the question: What must we do to receive a favorable judgment and attain salvation? As Christians, we believe there is a heaven and a hell, and that God exists. Not only do we believe God exists, but we believe Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God. This belief asks that each believer possess a willingness to live for Christ, which is our ultimate meaning and purpose in life. Belief is one of three elements Father Paul tells us are essential for inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven, which is synonymous with salvation and eternal life. The other two essential elements are the grace of God, a free gift given to mankind through Christ’s death on the Holy Cross, and love. We must have love for God and love for our neighbor. Together, these three things will help us on our journey toward the Kingdom of Heaven, where God dwells and despair and unhappiness have no home. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” reads today’s Gospel. May we remember God’s great love for mankind, His grace, and respond with belief and love in hopes of attaining eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.