John 1:1-14
When and where do we experience real love? Many books, movies and songs try to help us see and feel the real meaning of love. In Peanuts, Charlie Brown is cleaning his mailbox and he tells Sally, “The inside of the mailbox should always be kept clean in case you get a love letter.” It starts to rain and Sally says, “Aren’t you going out to get the mail?” Charlie replied, “Not while it’s raining. Then Charlie explains, “When it’s raining the only letters you get are those that say, ‘I never want to see you again!’.” Sally then says to Charlie, “You seem to know a lot about love letters.” Charlie tells Sally, “If I ever get one, I don’t know what I’d do.”
The world is full of Charlie Browns that never experienced the joy of someone telling them, “I love you.” If you have had parents, spouse, sons, daughters, or friends that have told you that they love you, then you know the blessing and joy that comes from real love.
Some of us have been blessed by doing something with out lives that we love to do. We are happy and blessed to be able to say, “I love my calling, my work and the road I have traveled.”
Charles Schulz created much of himself in Charlie Brown because he felt unloved and alone in much of his life. But on February 13, 2000 he wrote this letter that tells us he loved what he was able to do with his life:
Dear Friends,
I have been fortunate to draw Charlie Brown and his friends for almost 50 years. It has been the fulfillment of my childhood ambition. Unfortunately, I am no longer able to maintain the schedule demanded by a daily comic strip. My family does not wish Peanuts to be continued by anyone else, therefore I am announcing my retirement. I have been grateful over the years for the loyalty of our editors and the wonderful support and love expressed to me by fans of the comic strip. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, how can I ever forget them?
Signed,
Charles Schultz
Even when he felt unloved and alone in his work, he received the gift of love from the people who read, laughed and cried with Charles and his characters. Love comes to us in many ways, but the source of love is in the God we meet in all his creation and that includes our own life. In Genesis 1:31 we read: “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw it was very good and evening passed and morning came marking the sixth day.”
Real love came out of the very heart of God that created all things and gave life to us on planet Earth. He even gave to us the capacity to experience love. He also put within us the capacity to love. In John’s Gospel we read about the source of all creation and that included the very nature of real love. Real love came out of the heart of God and is life changing when we experience it. When we experience God’s love for ourselves, we love parents, spouses, brothers, sister, sons, daughters and friends. We can also love the rest of the human family, but we do not need to love the wicked actions of those people.
God’s real love has existed always because God has always existed. “In the beginning the word already existed. The Word was with God; and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.”
The Christ of the cradle and cross is God’s eternal word and plan for us. Because God loves us, he gave up earthly life on the cross. In the love God had on the cross, he offers his love that we might experience forgiveness and grace. God’s love and mercy is made known through the cradle and cross of Jesus Christ. “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father and only Son.” We that have experienced this God of love and have seen His glory and joy know the love of Christmas was God’s eternal gift of life.
In 1634 the village of Oberammergau, Germany was facing the black plague that was killing thousands of people. The village gathered and prayed to God that if He would spare their village, they would do something so people could see their love for Him.
Since 1634 the most famous Passion Play in the world has been presented every ten years in Oberammergau, Germany. In 2020 the worlds’ largest amateur dramatic performance tradition will continue with an estimated 450,000 visitors from around the world visiting this small village on the edge of the beautiful Bavarian and Tyrol regions of Germany and Austria to see the six-hour production. Over 2,000 Oberammergau villagers will be a part of the production. Once you have seen this Passion Play you will never forget Jesus on the Cross. It is the cross that came out of the heart of God that gives to us the source of real love. When God was nailed to a wooden cross, we see the power of love that gives us the gift for a new life. The wondrous gift from God comes to us when we believe and accept God’s gift for us. By our faith in Christ we experience when love became real. You can’t love yourself, or other people, completely until you experience for yourself God’s love.
