FURTHER INTO EASTER--The Father's action in sending the Word, the Son, was not the first step in the beautiful expression of the Father's Love. As the Jewish people used to sing in considering the steps that God took to save them; at any point they sang, "it was enough". The Father's action was completed when the Son was crucified and buried and rose. It was always about His love for the human family he created.
He is the Good Shepherd. He is the vine to which we are attached. When you think of Easter and Ascension and the absence of Jesus, you want to know what next? Jesus has left us with loving guidance in his commands to us. His command is that we love as he has loved. He has loved us first. He has chosen us from this love he has for us. He wants us to imitate that love for each other. John Shea calls it the LOVE CHAIN. From the Father to Jesus, from Jesus to us, from us to each other. The primacy of love in our lives with others is so important Jesus' calls it "my command to you".
Love Monsignor
May 6th, 2018 - Sixth Sunday of Easter (click and read)
"Love on another." We hear this directive at the beginning of the second reading and then again at the end of the Gospel. The Greek word that John uses again and again is agape, the selfless, unconditional love that God has for the world and that Jesus has for his disciples. Jesus provided the ultimate example of self-sacrificing love on the cross, but we are also challenged to exercise agape, love that puts others before ourselves, love that knows no boundaries. In the first reading, Peter takes this challenge, visiting Cornelius a newly converted Roman Centurion. Just as Peter is telling the group that God shows no partiality, God , as if on cue, sends the Holy Spirit down upon all who had come to listen to Peter testify in Jesus name. That same Holy Spirit can help us be faithful to what God asks of us. This fidelity to loving God and one another means that we will remain in that love, that it will be a part of our character, our being. In this way we can “bear fruit that will remain”, as Peter did in the first reading, as we are called to do today.
Who do you know that is most in need of that love, the love God has shown to us?
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First Reading - Acts of the Apostles 10:25-26,34-35, 44-48
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Second Reading - 1 John 4:7-10
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Gospel - John 15: 9-17
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