Sixth Sunday of Easter
Intention: For vocations to the Brothers and to religious life, that women and men may hear and answer God’s call to serve his people as members of religious communities.
Today’s Gospel | John 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”
From the Fourth Meditation for the Time of Retreat | Saint John Baptist de La Salle
This must be your goal when you instruct your disciples, that they live a Christian life and that your words become spirit and life for them. Your words will accomplish this:
- Because they will be produced by the Spirit of God living in you,
- Because they will procure for your disciples the Christian spirit.
In possessing this spirit, which is the very Spirit of Jesus Christ they will live that true life which is so valuable to us because it leads surely to eternal life. Guard against any human attitude toward your disciples; do not pride yourselves over what you do. These two things are capable of spoiling all the good there is in the performance of your duties. What have you in this regard that has not been given to you? And if it has been given to you, why are you boasting as if you had it on your own?
Keep, then, the goals of your work as completely pure as those of Jesus Christ himself; by this means you will draw upon yourselves and all your labors his blessing and grace.
Prayer
Eternal Father, your Son urged his disciples to love one another. Today, we often struggle to answer your call, with selfishness and fear getting in the way. Help us to overcome those obstacles so that we can begin to love one another as we should. May we walk in your ways and make within ourselves hearts that are filled with zeal for building your Kingdom of unity, justice, and peace. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.