Father Mike Schmitz

So as we noted before, the second letter and third letter of John are quite short.

And yet the same themes apply where John is saying, okay, this is the key.

This is the key.

Love.

That's it.

And not only love in this idea of affective love, like affection.

Affection is fine.

Affection is good.

But John is talking about effective love in the same way that Jesus, when he preached love, he's talking about effective love, love that actually clothes the naked, love that actually does something.

That's effective, right?

Not just affection, which is a feeling, which is great.

Love is felt, but it's more than a feeling.

We recognize that love to truly be the love that God has must be effective.

And that's one of the reasons why, as John reminds us, this is love, that we follow his commandments.

It's so important, this is love, that we follow God's commandments.

And not only is it love, but also it is doctrine, it's truth.

And so John talks about this truth and love.

And these are two things that must go together.

Truth without love is a hammer, right?

Truth without love is just a sledgehammer.