God is love, he who lives in love, lives in God and God lives in him (1 John 4:16). It is the example of love of God that can tell us the meaning of love. Unless we thrive in the true meaning of love as revealed to us and demonstrated to us by God, we may be following every emotion. So at time, we need to remind ourselves of what love means, so that we can enter into the joy of heaven. In the book of Genesis, God tells us that He created us in his own image and likeness, but at the same time He gave us free will to be or not be like Him in our thoughts, words and actions. The proof that God loves us is that He died for us while we were still sinners. He loved us with our imperfection and was ready and willing to give whatever it takes to bring us eternal life. He became man and allowed Himself to be used as a sacrifice for our sins, that we may have life and have it abundantly.
Dear friends that is love. The love of God should be able to help us to evaluate the kind of love that we have towards one another. Does our love seek the good of the one loved? Do we love the other only when things are good and going well or do we also love in times of sickness and adversity: For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer? Or do you use people for your own ends and profess love only for what you can get from the other person? Today, God calls us to love one another in a way that enhances the other’s dignity and respect; to love one another in a way that enhances the other’s dignity and respect; to love one another as God loves us. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
• Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins is the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos.
