The gospel message is really that simple ... it can be summed up on one word ... LOVE!!

As human beings, throughout the ages of time, we have tried to comprehend exactly what the good news God has for us in Jesus. And in a nut shell, from Jesus himself and from the writings of the early church, it really isn't all that difficult ... in fact it's very straightforward. The gospel and good news of Jesus Christ is about love, God's love for us and our calling in turn to love one another.

God's love for us is so obvious and real as we look to the life, example and witness of His Son Jesus. Love is the very reason God sent Jesus into the world in the first place. Love is the reason Jesus died on the cross. Love is the reason Jesus rose from the dead. Love is the reason when He ascended Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit. All Jesus did, and everything Jesus taught was indicative of God's love for his people and all of creation.

Two things in particular Jesus said about our call to love others ... first we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. That presupposes that we do in fact love ourselves, not out of ego but with a healthy respect for who we are and the gifts God has blessed us with. As we love our neighbors, we are in turn showing and living our love for God. 

And second, Jesus said, love one another as I have loved you. We trust that we are indeed loved by Jesus. That is at the center of our faith, hope and trust. As we have experienced that love firsthand in our own lives, we are called to equally love those around us in like manner. That is the center and basis of our baptismal identity as followers of Jesus.

In our human condition, with all the temptations of the world we live in, it is far too easy to neglect that simple, central message of our discipleship ... our calling to love as we have been loved. Undoubtedly we all want to love our neighbours. And yet we experience barriers and obstacles which undoubtedly are our own making. And so we don't always live respectfully of those around us; we are sometimes jealous of what they have that we don't have; we might be judgmental; and out of all of that not express the care, compassion and love Jesus calls us into.

As we come to the end of this Easter season, and look with anticipation to the joy of celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives, let's offer the prayer that we may be loving to others as God has been loving to us. May we never take that for granted and always desire to be intentional in sharing the gift of love with all those we meet.

It's that simple ... love!!