God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life. // John 3:16
His eyes sparkled in the candlelight as he watched the procession of altar servers and clergy with the Easter candle at the Easter Vigil. My only son was rapt in attention towards the liturgy of all liturgies. As Mass proceeded through the second of the Old Testament readings, I could not help but think of my son, my only son, as God asked Abraham to offer his only son Isaac.
Today is the eighth birthday of my only son–a son born after the sorrow of a miscarriage and followed by three more since then. I know how it feels to have an only son, for those babies entrusted to the mercy of God feel so far away.
We hear in the Gospel today for Trinity Sunday words that we have all heard before. We have seen “John 3:16” plastered on walls, on signs at sporting events, and on billboards along the highway. The words are so familiar that they wash over us.
“God so loved…” These words describe the Trinity. God, complete in His community of three Persons eternally loving, so loving that He created.
God so loved that He created the Angels.
God so loved that He created the universe and our world, making it habitable.
God so loved that He made us. And He did not just make us to live in this world, but He made us for eternal life. When we fell into sin, He so loved us that the Father sent his only Son, who came and died for us. Then the Son rose and ascended into Heaven, from where they sent the Holy Spirit to help us with grace to have the faith to believe in God, to love God, and to hope for eternal life.
God so loved, that even as I have offered my miscarried babies to Him, I hope to meet them in the next life, to share with them eternal beatitude in Heaven.
Sister, God is Three Persons, and He so loves us all. Bask today in His Trinitarian love.
Susanna Spencer holds a master's in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and is the Devotions Editor for Blessed is She. She is a freelance writer and editor and a teacher. She lives with her philosopher husband, three teen daughters, one pre-teen son, and a miracle baby girl in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She loves reading theology and novels, attending beautiful liturgies, cooking delicious food, and casually following baseball. She is the author of the Gospel Studies including Seek His Kingdom: A Meditation on Matthew , Listen to Him: A Meditation on Mark, Preach in His Name: A Meditation on Luke, and Abide in His Love: A Meditation on John. She was the contributing author and editor for our children’s devotional prayer book, Rise Up. She was the Theological Editor of the Blessed Conversations Studies. Find out more about her here.
Get Your Planner 📒
Be a Woman of the Word
Walk with Jesus
