Reflection for April 15 Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter: John 3:16-21

Gospel: John 3:16-21

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.  

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

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Reflection:

Can we measure God’s love for us?

No, we cannot. God loves us infinitely—so deeply and so completely that He gave His only begotten Son for us. His love has no limits, no conditions, no end. It is constant, faithful, and beyond what we can fully comprehend.

But what about our love for God? Can it be measured? If we are honest with ourselves, we may admit that while God’s love for us is infinite, our love for Him is often finite. It has limits. It stretches only up to a certain point, and when that point is reached, we sometimes begin to hold back.

Why do we limit our love for God? Why do we hesitate to love Him as He loves us? Perhaps it is because we are afraid—afraid of surrendering our own desires, afraid of letting go of our attachments, afraid of losing what we think gives us freedom. Yet true freedom is not found in holding on, but in surrendering ourselves completely to God.

To love God infinitely is to follow Him without conditions—to trust Him without hesitation and to obey Him without reservation. And yet, there is a challenge in this kind of love. As we draw closer to God, we are also called to turn away from the things that lead us away from Him.

We are called to reject sin, no matter how appealing it may seem. We are invited to let go of our pride—the desire to elevate ourselves above others. How often do we find ourselves looking down on others, judging them, or comparing ourselves with them? These attitudes quietly distance our hearts from God and limit our capacity to love Him fully.

And still, God continues to love us without measure.

If God loves us this way, then we, too, are called to love in the same spirit. We are invited to reflect His love not only in easy moments but especially in difficult ones—by loving those who are hard to love, by forgiving those who have wounded us deeply, and by choosing compassion over resentment.

This is not easy. It requires grace. It requires humility. It requires a heart that is willing to be transformed.

If God loves us without limits, are we willing to love Him without holding anything back? Are we ready to surrender our pride, release our fears, and love even those who have hurt us—so that our love may begin to reflect His infinite love for us?—Marino J. Dasmarinas