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One Bread, One Body - Reflection for March 22, 2014

THE SINNER-LOVING GOD

"The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, 'This Man welcomes sinners.' " –Luke 15:2

God welcomes sinners and eats with them (Lk 15:2). He loves sinners so much He:

• "removes guilt" (Mi 7:18),
• "pardons sin" (Mi 7:18; see also Ps 103:3),
• delights in clemency (Mi 7:18),
• again has compassion on us (Mi 7:19),
• treads underfoot our guilt (Mi 7:19),
• casts "into the depths of the sea all our sins" (Mi 7:19),
• "will show faithfulness" (Mi 7:20),
• "heals all your ills" (Ps 103:3),
• "redeems your life from destruction" (Ps 103:4),
• "as far as the east is from the west" puts "our transgressions from us" (Ps 103:12),
• runs out to meet sinners (Lk 15:20),
• throws His arms around us and kisses us (Lk 15:20),
• gives us presents to honor us (Lk 15:22), and
• has a special celebration in our honor (Lk 15:23).

God the Father loves sinners so much that He sent his Son to die for us (Jn 3:16). "You can depend on this as worthy of full acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tm 1:15). "It is precisely in this that God proves His love for us" (Rm 5:8).

Sinner, God loves you even if no one loves you and even if you don't love yourself. Sinner, God loves you with an unconditional, crucified, everlasting, perfect, infinite love. Repent and turn back to Love.

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Acknowledgement

Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:

· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College