Editors’ note:

From our core team of volunteers to each of you, may God bless you with a hope-filled and deeply meaningful Easter.

Whether you choose to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection according to the Catholic or Orthodox tradition, or in some other way mark the miracle as a disciple of Jesus, we hope you’ll take time to enjoy this short series of quiet time devotionals as a special seasonal gift from us to you. Prepared by our own Sharon Gauthier — elder’s wife, women’s minister in Chicago — this is the second in our Easter 2022 quiet time series.  May these devotionals enhance your Easter week with lasting joy in Christ, whatever you may be facing, wherever you are in the world. 

In Remembrance of Jesus’ Love

Scripture Reading: John 15:9-17, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:7-12

I was ten years old when my maternal grandmother died.  As I grew up, my parents, aunts and uncles would often ask me if I remembered her; especially since she battled Alzheimer’s Disease for her last years of life. But I had wonderful, vivid memories of my precious grandma.  I remember that she loved apple turnovers and would sneak away and make them for me while my parents were at work.  I remember her telling my sister and me that we were the prettiest girls in town (which, embarrassingly, I believed simply because she said so).  I remember how she would let me comb her hair for seemingly hours and let me put Band-Aids all over her hands and arms while I pretended to be a doctor.

You see, although my time with my grandmother was short, her memory is permanently etched in my heart. Why? Because of the ways in which she showed her deep love for me. 

My grandmother.

Love is not something that we can touch, smell, or see as a physical entity. However, memories of love are embedded in the long-term memory of our brain through the intensity of emotion associated with those memories. In the case of my grandmother – the significant, meaningful, wonderfully positive feelings that her acts of love evoked in me.

Neither is God someone we can touch, smell, or see physically. How then can our memories and emotions be filled with His presence?  Because of the evidence of His love. In fact, the Bible says that God is love (1 John 4:8, 16).  Jesus was the exact representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3); so, while Jesus was on earth God through His Son could be touched and seen. However, it’s not the physical personification of God who remains; rather, it is His love that remains (1 Corinthians 13:13).

I find it interesting that those who witnessed Jesus up close and in person never took the time to write about His physical features. We don’t know how tall He was or what color hair he had. What we do know about Him in great detail is His unending love for humankind.

We know how Jesus saw those who were essentially invisible in the community (John 4:7-9, Luke 18:15-16). We know how He reached out and touched those who were untouchable (Matthew 8:1-3). We know how He healed the sick and fed the hungry. We know how Jesus patiently taught and trained “ordinary” people until the character of His Father was formed in them (Acts 4:13). And most amazingly, we know how Jesus set His own needs aside and laid down His life so that someone like me or you could spend eternity with Him.

What I learned after the loss of my grandmother (and more recently the loss of my parents and other close family and friends) is that even as memories of physical features fade over time, the memories of love never fade. In fact, those memories tend to grow stronger each time we reflect and reminisce.  It is no wonder, then, that God calls us to take time out to eat a sacred meal and share time in fellowship “in remembrance” of His Son.  As we intentionally remember God’s love, expressed through Jesus, not only will our gratitude grow, but we also become better able to love our brothers and sisters and the community around us.

During His last supper with His disciples, Jesus called them (and us!) not only to remember His love, but to imitate His love.

 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:34-35 (NIV)

Years from now, the people we encounter in life—our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers—may not remember much about our clothes, makeup or hair, but they will remember whether or not we demonstrated love for them.

During this Easter season, may we remember Jesus’ love for us and may the thoughts of that love prompt us to love those around us.

 Questions for Reflection:

1.       Reminisce about a time you when felt loved or “seen.” Maybe it was the teacher who patiently helped you, or the friend who offered a shoulder to cry on during a time of loss or hurt, or maybe even the stranger who helped you change a flat tire. How did those acts of kindness or love make you feel?  How can you love others in a similar way?
2.       Reflect on what you know about Jesus.  What do you admire about Jesus’ love?  What are some stories in His life that stand out to you?
3.       How have you seen God’s love demonstrated in your life over the years?  Spend time in prayer thanking Him for His love.