This passage from the Gospel of John probably sounds familiar: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” Lots of people memorize it and share it, often at sporting events, which seems kind of funny to me. And it’s interesting that one of Christianity’s most famous verses is about God loving the world — and yet we Christians are often more associated with judgment than love.

There’s something heartening about the reassurance that God sent Christ into the world to save and not condemn it. I certainly believe that. I know some people seem to operate out of a kind of fear-based faith, like if I do this or that or don’t do this or that, I’ll be condemned. I just can’t believe in a God who constantly looks over my shoulder to check me if I step a toe out of line. God doesn’t want to condemn any of us, nor does God wish to condemn the world that God created, the world in which God delights. So, I trust the first line of this passage that says that God so loved the world that God sent Christ for our good – so that we might not perish but have eternal life, that we would be saved not condemned.

So, then, why as Christians are we so condemning? Especially in the United States, it seems that Christians condemn others so much that we’re becoming known for it. Some Christians condemn people of other faiths. Some condemn transgender people and gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. Many denominations are not exactly known for our gender equity and the ways in which we affirm the leadership of women. And although we may have done things here or there for people of color and racial justice, many white Christians have also landed on the side of bigotry and oppression. Scripture tells us very clearly that we should welcome the stranger, and yet, in the United States Christians are behind movements to deport immigrants and refugees and even lock them up. The song says, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” but it seems like some of us show a lot more animosity than love.

If God sent Christ not to condemn the world, then what are we Christians doing? Shouldn’t we look more like Christ? This is the call I hear especially on Trinity Sunday, when we proclaim a God whose very being is relationship, communion, and love. How will we mirror God’s love and compassion?

My point is not to condemn Christians while I’m saying we shouldn’t condemn anybody. However, I think most of us struggle with our fellow Christians who are preaching condemnation, bigotry, and fear from the pulpits and through media. So, what do we do?

Our Second Reading from First Corinthians has some advice for how to live community and, although it’s pretty challenging, it offers us some wisdom. “Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

I can get on board with us all mending our ways, but agreeing with each other? It’s almost laughable, except the divisions within the church makes me want to cry. And yet, I wonder if there are some things most of us can agree on. We can profess God as one, for one thing. We can believe in Christ’s commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves, and even the one that tells us to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. Maybe we can all agree that God sent Christ to save the world and not condemn it. Maybe we can agree that we can’t do any this by ourselves, and, as the reading says, “the grace of Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” are with us.

God has to be with us, because we certainly need God to not only help us to live community with each other, but to bring about God’s reign. I hesitate to use the word reign because it smacks of kingship and patriarchy and hierarchy, and God is one and we are one in God. God’s presence is knit deeply within us and all of creation, and God is not outside of it. And yet, there’s work to be done to bring about God’s love in the world. We’re called to work to bring it about.

In our First Reading from Exodus, Moses bows down and prays before God: "If I find favor with you, O God, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own."

Truer words were never spoken, were they? We too are stiff-necked people. We must ask God’s pardon for all the ways that we collectively condemn rather than lift up. And we ask God to come along in our company. God came into the world to do exactly that – to accompany us so deeply that God became one of us to move among us and love us and show us the way. Thanks be to God.

For Reflection

What’s challenging for you about these readings or this reflection?

What moves you to compassion or gratitude or any other response?

As you think about all this in the context of your life and prayer, what’s God’s call for you?

By Sister Leslie Keener, CDP

Sister Leslie Keener, CDP is the director of God Space, a vibrant spirituality ministry building community in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. A Sister of Divine Providence, she holds a Master’s in Ministry and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Retreats from Creighton University. Sister Leslie guides retreats, offers spiritual direction, and nurtures vocations within her community. Passionate about helping people encounter God in everyday life, she delights in meaningful conversations, dancing, and spicy food

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