Roman Catholic Lens Commentary: 1 John 4:17-21

## Roman Catholic Lens Reading of 1 John 4:17-21

### Tradition-Specific Interpretation

In the Roman Catholic Lens tradition, we read 1 John 4:17-21 as a profound affirmation of God's love manifest in Christ and the call to live this love among one another. This passage emphasizes the incarnational reality of love perfected in us, foreshadowing our union with God in the Beatific Vision. Love, as articulated here, is sacramental, a participation in divine grace that transforms us, aligning with our understanding of sanctifying grace and the transformative power of the sacraments. We recognize in this text a call to live out the theological virtues — faith, hope, and charity — which are infused in us through baptism and grow through our participation in the sacramental life of the Church.

### Key Language Decisions