Eternal unity of perfect love

Eternal unity of perfect love

This phrase, “eternal unity of perfect love”, for me, sums up rather well in its five words just what the God I try to serve is all about.

God exists outside of time, or perhaps that would be better turned around somewhat to say, time exists within God. He was here before time started, he will be here when time ends. And, despite what many people believe, he will have been here throughout the existence of time.

It would be possible for the world to be unified within God, if only the world’s peoples would believe it, and act upon it. But it’s never too late; just because the world is divided today, doesn’t mean it cannot be united tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after, or … some other day in the future. But we have to believe it’s truly possible, we have to want it, we have to reach out for it. God won’t force it on us, or we would lose our free will, and without that we can’t experience a truly loving relationship with God.

I guess regular readers will already know my views on love; it’s our very reason for being here. God created us because he wanted to love us, and wants us to love him. His love is perfect. But he’ll never force that love, to us or from us, because then it wouldn’t be love any more. God’s love for us is a gift to us that we can choose to accept or reject. Just as our love for him is a gift that we can choose to give or not, but he will always choose to accept it and never reject us.

Eternal unity of perfect love; just five words, but five words that describe and explain our God, perfectly. And so appropriate to be using them on this First Sunday of Christmas, when we’ve just celebrated his ultimate gift of love. When he put his total trust in humanity and became incarnate for us as a helpless baby.

God in Trinity,
eternal unity of perfect love:
gather the nations to be one family,
and draw us into your holy life
through the birth of Emmanuel,
Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Additional Collect for The First Sunday of Christmas
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council