For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
“I attended to you with loving care. Out of provident concern I handed over my only-begotten Son to make satisfaction for your needs. I demanded supreme obedience from Him so that the human race might be freed of the poison which had infected the entire earth because of Adam’s disobedience. With eager love He submitted to a shameful death on the cross and by that death He gave you life, not merely human but divine.”
Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) in her Dialogue as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 294.
As we aim at Christlikeness in the days after Easter living the resurrected life, let us follow the example of Christ as described today by Catherine of Siena and extend provident care and eager love toward others.
Provident care is supplying what people need, whether they deserve it or not. It may not necessarily be what they want, but it should flow from what we have toward others like it flowed from God through Christ to us.
And eager love should go with it. Eager to do what is good. Willing to sacrifice like God gave us Christ and like Christ embraced the shameful death on a cross. Let us be eager to show others the love we have received.
God help us in life after Easter to follow your example and extend provident care and eager love toward others like you first showed to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.