THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Friday of the 5th Week of Easter, 2022

Acts 15:22-31

Ps 57

John 15:12-17

As I have loved you…

Dear friends in Christ, today’s Gospel is a continuation of the teaching of Jesus on love. He emphasizes love, beyond just the love of the other, as you love yourself; it must be the way Christ loves. An invitation to love till it pains; to love even when it is not appreciated; to love, not in return for love, but in return for the eternal reward which only God bestows.

In today’s Gospel, (John 15:12-17) we are presented with a continuation of the farewell discourse of Jesus at the Last Supper. This was shortly after the departure of Judas, the one who was to betray him. This is a fairly long discourse that deals with the impending death of Jesus, the sadness of the disciples, the reassurance by Jesus that he will send an advocate, and the gift of peace. In today's selection, Jesus tells the disciples, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” From this, we might just imagine what was going through the mind of Jesus. We have seen how the pains of departure from home or a certain place of work bring tears. Imagine a final goodbye to one’s family. Look into the hearts of your wife/husband and kids and other members of the family, as they embrace and say goodbye—a goodbye that might be their last words to him.

Instead of a feeling of regret at what was to befall him, what Jesus makes in his final address is about love. Love amid the hatred that he was about to receive. No longer will your love be measured by your standards in, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Instead, Jesus makes himself the measure and standard by which you know if you are truly showing love. “Love one another as I have loved you.” You have to continue to love even when the love pains, when those you love do not show love to you, in fact when they publicly profess hatred for you. That was the extent of his love, the love he sets up as the standard of our love. Jesus went on to stress, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This simply means that those who wish to follow Jesus must be willing to lay down their lives for the good of others. You may have to give up on some of the things you take pleasure in for the sake of others. In doing good you might encounter difficulties, do not give up.

The love that does not run away from tribulation and that triumphs over death, is what the Lord recommends as true love that his disciples must show forth in their lives. What have you to offer?

Let us pray: Lord gives us the courage to embrace the life of sacrifice. Help us to appreciate those who are sacrificing in all and any way to keep us safe. Amen. 

+Remain blessed