"God loved the world so much..." (John 3:16-21) – Sermon – April 15, 2026

Today’s Gospel gives us one of the deepest and most comforting truths of our faith: God sent His Son not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. “God loved the world so much…” — everything begins with this sentence. Before any command, before any rule, before any expectation, there is love. God acts not to judge, but to love. The commandments He gives are not to imprison us, but to guide us to true life.

But often we misunderstand the commandments. We see them as a burden, harsh boundaries, or even as a means of condemnation. However, the Gospel teaches us this: God does not wish to condemn, but to save. The commandments are not chains that drag us into darkness, but paths that lead us to light.

Jesus is the light that came into the world. And the text tells us: some preferred darkness because their deeds were evil. Here lies an important truth: God does not force anyone to be condemned. When a person rejects the light, they leave themselves in darkness. God, however, continually offers salvation, but respects our freedom.

Therefore, living the commandments should not stem from fear. We should live not out of fear of punishment, but out of love. When we love, we want to please; when we love God, we desire to live according to His will.

Doing good, avoiding evil, seeking truth, living justice — all these find their true meaning only when they arise from the love of God. Without love, the law becomes a heavy burden; with love, life transforms into a path of joy and freedom.

Today, let us ask ourselves this question: Am I living my faith out of fear of punishment, or out of my love for Jesus? Do I see God as a judge, or as one who loves and saves?

Let us ask our Lord for grace to walk in the light. Let us accept God’s love and respond to this love with our lives. May everything we do arise not from obligation, but from the love we have for the God who loved us first.

May the Virgin Mary teach us to fulfill the commandments not out of fear, but out of love. The more we fulfill God’s will, the closer we draw to God.