St Peters RC Church Hamilton

“This is the most beautiful moment of any creature’s life: to know that one is loved, personally, by God, to feel oneself lifted to the bosom of the Trinity and to find oneself in the flood of love that flows between Father and Son, enfolded in their love, sharing their passionate love for the world.” Father Raniero Cantalamessa

Let us go forwards,

In the flow of this love

As offered us by the Lord Jesus,

Sharing with us by the Spirit,

The power of such love.

This is how and where

We come to recognise

The Father’s love like Jesus did.

A love so immense, intense,

It can rid us of sinfulness.

Come, Creator Spirt of love.

“...kindle in us the fire of Your love.” Traditional prayer

Come in all power upon us.

Come not just to convict us of sinfulness,

But to show us the way forwards,

The escape route provided by the Lord Jesus.

One word alone describes this:

Love.

Love is the truth Jesus shares with us,

The means by which faith is established,

Grows, flourishes, spreads, offering itself.

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself,’ you are doing right.” James 2 v 8 NIV

Love is the outreach of the Trinity,

Three Persons entirely committed

To the enormity of love they offer us.

Such love is full of amazing promises,

Each of which is fulfilled for us by Jesus.

“How great is the love lavished on us,

based on That we are called children of God,

1 John 3 v 1 For that is exactly what we are.”

Love means we are never far from home.

The Holy Spirit develops our understanding

And commanding of the power of holy love.

“Nothing is small if it is done out of love.” Chiara Lubich based on Ephesians 3 v 18 “How wide, how long, how deep, God’s love really is.”

A boundless love which is endless,

This love which is redemptive,

All thanks to the forgiveness won by Jesus

At the sacrifice of His life for us on the †.

This love is perfect, for it is entirely holy,

Powerful and truly bountiful in results.

based on “Through each day the Lord pours out on us

Psalm 42 v 8 His unfailing love,” His mercy,

Cont. “In the day time and in the night” being continuous.

V 11 “The help of my countenance and my God”

Is love, pure love, nothing but love.

“The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3 v 17

“Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3 v 5

“Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born 1 John 4 v 7 NIV of God and knows God.”

Let us pray therefore and “Keep loving each other as brothers (or sisters), offering the Hebrews 13 v 1 NIV power of holy love we have been so blessed to receive.” For this is the love of God which never fails. Our Father tells us “ ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have

Jeremiah 31v 3 NIV drawn you with loving kindness’.” As this is our experience in the all loving, unfailing friendship of the Lord Jesus, made personal to us by the Holy Spirit, let us love at all times, our will to do so, strengthened by prayer and the Spirit showing us ways to love. Amen.