Unconditional Love 

   “Do not forget that love sets no conditions; it does not calculate or complain, but simply loves.” Pope St. John Paul II 

   In a few days we will celebrate one of the greatest examples of unconditional love known to man; the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  The Son of God became man in order to save all humanity because of His love for us.  He willingly gave up His glory for a while to become one of us.

   The life of Jesus was one of love for all, even sinners, and even those who rejected Him.  He admonished and warned of the consequences of evil, but He did so out of love, hoping to bring about a change of heart to those who would not believe.  He forgave the sinners, healed the sick, gave sight to blind, hearing to the deaf, and raised the dead.  He loved and He is love itself.

   In our life we can never love as God loves us, but we must try.  Our imperfections cause us to misuse many of God’s gifts, and love is no exception.  God never says, “I’ll love you if….”, but we often place demands on others before we will give the our love.  God never says, “I won’t forgive”, but we are prone to holding grudges and developing hate for those we feel have wronged us.

   Jesus even loved those who nailed Him to the cross praying, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 24).  We are to love as He loved; to love without demands or conditions, but simply to love.  For it is in love that salvation is be found; love of God and love of others.