Thursday, May 2, 2002
5th Week of Easter
1st Reading: Acts 15:7-21
Gospel: Jn 15:9-11
Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have
loved you; remain in my love. You will remain in my love if you keep my
commandments, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain
in his love.
I have told you all this, that my own joy may be in you and your
joy may be complete."
Commentary
Jesus felt drawn to spend whole nights in prayer, or to get up early,
long before dawn, and go out to a lonely place where he could be alone
with God. What was Jesus finding there? In the stories of Jesus' baptism
and transfiguration, we hear the voice from heaven: "You are my Son,
the beloved." "As the Father has loved me so I have loved you,"
says Jesus in today's gospel. From observation of Jesus' love of us, we
may surmise the Father's love for him. He weeps over Jerusalem, longing
to gather her children together. He washes our feet: "He had always
loved those who were his own in the world. Now he showed how perfect his
love was." When arrested, he said, "Let these others go free."
As we pray with today's gospel, let's marvel that Jesus was sent to let
us share fully in God's joy.