Gospel: Jn 15:9–17
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. This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you! There is no greater love than this,
to give one’s life for one’s friends; and you are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more, because servants
do not know what their master is about. Instead, I have called you friends, since I have made known to you everything I learned from my Father.
You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And everything you ask the Father in my
name, he will give you. This is my command, that you love one another.

Lectio Divina:

READ: Jesus discloses His greatest commandment to His disciples. They must
love one another just as Jesus loved them with the love of the Father. Their
love must be concretized in their obedience to His will. Because of this, they
will now be His friends sharing in the life of fruitfulness. And everything they
will ask the Father in Jesus’ name will be granted them.

REFLECT: The first command that Jesus gives His disciples before His Passion
is for them to love one another. This love must be obedient to His words and
be self-giving. For the highest expression of love is to give oneself without
regard to self-wellbeing so that others may experience fullness of life. And
He showed the way when later, He gave up His life for the salvation of all.
Without regard to self, He plunged head long to His passion and death. And
this selfless act of giving resulted to a new and transformed life when He
rose from the dead. For death is weak in front of the power of love. And Jesus
elevated His disciples to that of friends. Love seeks not to differentiate but to
unite. Friendship is what unites the disciple to the Master. This unity enables a
relationship that does away with Master-Follower distinction. From this time
on, the disciples will follow the Master not out of fear but because of love.

RESPOND: How do we love? That is the question today. For love has many
sides, some of them not so true and good. We need to go back to the author
of love, that is, God in order to situate our love. Does it follow Jesus’ way of
loving or not? If not, we have all the time from today till judgment day to
make adjustments.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2021