God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in them. This passage from St. John’s first epistle is both a consolation and a challenge. We are consoled by this passage because it reminds us that family and friends we are close to who do not practice the faith have a path to God. They remain in God as long as they remain in love. God can figure how salvation will work for them. We are challenged by those words because the passage does NOT say: Whoever remains in Church remains in God. Simply attending church does not ensure that God remains in us but only a life full of love. Church only works when it is a school for love.
