by Rosemary Sulz

Created on: April 03, 2007   Last Updated: May 19, 2007

The true Love of Christ is fulfilled in His Self, the surrendering of Himself on that first Good Friday, for the sins that mankind have committed "Good" because His Death gave us the chance at everlasting life. Christ came for that one purpose, to be a lamb for sacrifice. As in the Old Testament, the old covenant of the law, a sacrifice had to be given to God for sins committed by sacrificing a lamb. How much more powerful for the One True and Living God to give Himself as the Lamb, He without sin.

The idea of this sacrifice is truly hard to imagine in my mind. The thought that God would actually die for my sins and those of the whole world to appease the Divine Justice of God overwhelms my soul. My sins and the whole world; all of history, the present and the future - sins of passion and hate, unimaginable sins that the thought of make me ill and sick in my heart. He saw them all. All the selfishness, murders, wars - there as He prayed in the Garden. Everything.

Love of a Christian must follow this road that God has set. Love must encompass all that we do and say and think. We must 'love one another' as God loves us. We cannot hold anything back, we cannot say oh but... No, if God has loved us with this infinite True Love, we can not give but everything, every ounce of our selves, our spirit to show our love for Him, through our love for his children.

St. Francis prayed, "Make me a channel of your peace, where there is hatred - let me bring love, where there is injury - pardon; and where there is doubt - true faith...
O Master grant that I may never be so much to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved - as to love with all my soul!"

So I must in my life walk without thought of myself; I must strive to be loving to all around me. I must give everything and not expect payment. I must love without holding back anything for myself.

This is for all people this love. Not for just family and friends, but for the homeless, or stranger who you've never met. Everyone, even an enemy. No prejudices are allowed - all people, whether they believe in God or not. All colors, all religions, ALL.

How else? If He gave All for love, so must we... ALL for love of HIM.
Grant us your strength and love, Lord. Help us to live as we ought. Help us to carry our crosses and follow you. Call me Lord, I am listening.

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