Following the Father’s example, we want to become a gratuitous gift to the world.

During the last week of Easter, we will discuss one of the six truths of our religion every day. As an echo of the biggest holiday of the year.

Do you know how many cardinal truths we have? Do you know what the third one sounds like? I won’t bother you. I’d rather tell you about an incident. Once upon a time, there was a large swing bridge that spanned a river. Most of the day it was turned along the river, allowing ships to pass on either side of it. When a train was coming to the river, that’s when the bridge swung across the river to allow the train to pass. In a small booth on the bank of the river sat an operator who controlled the turning of the bridge and it’s securing with the bolts when a train was about to pass. One evening, he was waiting for the last train. He looked dreamily into the distance until he saw the lights of the locomotive. He walked up to the controller and waited until the train was at the prescribed distance when he was supposed to turn the bridge. He did so at the crucial moment but was horrified to find that the mechanism did not work. If the bridge is not secured, it means that the train will crash into the water. And that was a passenger train full of passengers! So he left the bridge set across and ran across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a lever that he could use to control the system by hand. But suddenly he heard a voice from the side of the control booth that froze his blood: “Daddy, where are you?” His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge looking for his father. At first, he wanted to shout at his son: “Run, run!” but the train was already close. The man wanted to let go of the lever to run out and save his son, but he realized that he would not be able to get back to the lever in time. Either the people on the train or the son will die. He decided in an instant. The train whizzed by on its way, and no one on board had any idea that it had hit a four-year-old. His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge looking for his father. At first, he wanted to shout at his son: “Run, run!” but the train was already close. The man wanted to let go of the lever to run out and save his son, but he realized that he would not be able to get back to the lever in time. Either the people on the train would die or son. He made up his mind in an instant. The train whizzed its way, and no one on board knew that it had run over a four-year-old. His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge looking for his father. At first, he wanted to shout at his son: “Run, run!” but the train was already close. The man wanted to let go of the lever to run out and save his son, but he realized that he would not be able to get back to the lever in time. Either the people on the train would die or son. He made up his mind in an instant. The train whizzed on its way, and no one on board knew that it had run over a four-year-old.

The third main truth is: “The Son of God became a man to redeem us.” Today, God tells us about himself in the Holy Gospel: “God so loved the world that he gave him only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but that had eternal life”(John 3:16). These words speak of God’s love, which God has for us, humans. It is the selfless love of the Father that made him go to extremes. Freely, the Father decided not to leave humanity in the misery of sin, but to help it rise. His intention is obvious – to save humanity. His love is so great that he does not hesitate to sacrifice his only Son. This means that He gives everything in this gift. He keeps nothing. He gives a lot because he gives everything. It’s unheard of. After all, God knows that we will never be able to repay him for it. And that’s exactly what selflessness is. The Father’s gift is freely given. He can’t go back. At least not in the same form. It is a big deal if God, who is almighty, decided to lower himself to the level of man. It was a decision by which the Son of God – the second divine person – became a man. He became quite similar to us people. Absolutely in everything, except sin, as St. Paul. We know that the people of that time saw him primarily as a man. His humiliation went even further, down to the level of man. Death on the cross was considered the most humiliating at that time and was intended for the biggest outcasts of society. God went to the extreme in his Son. And that even though he had to know how we humans will deal with his unique Gift. And yet he underwent it all. He did not hesitate for a moment. Why all this? Wasn’t it pointless? Naive? We must bow in humility before this. It’s a secret for us. It is often difficult for our human reason to understand such greatness of love. We can hardly understand the magnitude of such an undeserved gift to us. God himself decided to give such a great gift to people.

We can see the parallel of the father from the story at the beginning, with our Heavenly Father. If we can at least partially imagine the feelings that filled the heart with the man in the story, we can begin to understand the “feelings” of our Heavenly Father when he gave and sacrificed his only-begotten Son to bridge the gap between us and eternal life. Both gave their sons to save others. It was mutually selfless. They gave a lot, not for themselves, but for the sake of others. Even though they knew that their intention would not be fully appreciated. They gave a great gift and gave it freely. They did not expect a reward, because such a gift cannot be given in any way repay. It was not a loan that could be paid back. It was a selfless gift that only a very loving heart can give. We are in the role of passengers. Whether we want to accept it or not. We are on a journey through life here on Earth. While the passengers on the train were completely unaware of this sacrifice, because they did not even know about it, we cannot claim that we know nothing about redemption. This is where we differ from them. But isn’t it the case that we live as if we know nothing? After all, if we know about such a great gift of love towards ourselves, why doesn’t our life change? Why are we so quarrelsome with each other? Why don’t we also imitate the Father in love? We can accept or reject the value of Jesus’ redemption as something imaginary. Either – or, there is no third way. Either we will believe in this great mystery of God’s love, and accordingly, we too will imitate our Lord in love, or we will reject it all and continue to suffer at home, in families, at the workplace, in schools… We certainly ask what it looks like – imitate the Father in love and conform to Christ. This is what a real event tells us.

The doctor travelled around Africa. Several blacks on the ship were being taken to work. One of them got sick. Our doctor treated him for free. When he was leaving the ship, the doctor asked him to take the letter to the post office in town. “I’ll take it away, but pay!” was the short answer, along with his gratitude. The doctor showed what it means to share his ability and be a gift to another. He served selflessly because he knew that a poor person could not pay for his service in any way. The other behaved as we often do. He would have helped, but for something, calculatedly. His main motive was what I would get out of it. Not for free, selflessly, but for something, for money. This is not how a better world is built, but a world of quarrels and hatred.

Let us show that we believe as Christians, that we live as redeemed people who know what God has done for them. Let us also bring more love to our surroundings. Let’s be a gift to others. Let us sacrifice ourselves freely for others. After all, we are the hope for this world. At this Holy Mass, let us give thanks for the Father’s great, selfless gift, which he gave us in his Son. Let us apologize to him for our inattention to him and others, and promise him that from now on we will selflessly serve our brothers and sisters.