Thoughts for the Day

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Our reading today continues the scene at the Last Supper that Jesus had with his disciples before his death. After the parable of the vine, Jesus now goes on to explain its meaning further.

Have you ever seen the old cartoons on television with Tom and Jerry, the cat and the mouse, where the poor cat always ends up losing out through various machinations that go wrong? In one memorable episode when Tom tries to involve other cats in his plans they all end up touching a live wire and the current passes through each of them as they touch one another.

We might think of the relationship between the Father, the Son and us in a similar, but this time positive way. Jesus says that the Father, the Son and all who follow the Son are all to be united not by electricity but by love. As the Father pours out his love on the Son, so the Son pours out his love on his disciples. They, in turn, are to pour out the same love to others with the help of the Holy Spirit, which will continue down the generations to us and through us to others.

If the 'current' of love does not pass through us, it cannot enter into us and so we shall remain untouched by it. Put simply, if the love of Jesus does not pass through us to other people, it's a sign that the love of Jesus has not really entered into us. The love of God has to be acknowledged with joy and then passed on. We are not just given it to sit on it and do nothing, the chain must continue.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You taught Your disciples that as Your Father loved You
so You loved them,
and in their turn they were to love one another.
May Your love enter our hearts this day
and fill us with Your peace and joy.
May we acknowledge its transforming power
by passing it on to others.
Amen.