Father Anthony reflects on the blazing heart of the Gospel in John 3: “God so loved the world.” He explores how the Father does not send the Son as a threat, but as a gift—love taking flesh to rescue, not to condemn. As Jesus is lifted up for our healing, Father Anthony shows how faith is not mere agreement but a turning of the whole life toward the One who saves. Yet the passage presses deeper: the true crisis is not God’s anger, but our relationship to the Light. Christ shines with a mercy that exposes and heals, and the human heart must choose—hide in the shadows to protect sin, or step into the brightness to be made new. In this tender yet piercing invitation, we learn that salvation begins when we stop running, let the Light tell the truth about us, and discover that the One who reveals our darkness is the same One who carries it away—so that everyone who believes may have eternal life.
In the United States, the Catholic Church observes October as Respect Life Month.
Father Anthony uses the words of God speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai to encourage us to find restful periods in our lives amidst the daily struggles so as to celebrate the graces God has given us.
Father Anthony reflects on this Beatitude in Matthew as a call for us to look for ways to show mercy to others each day.