“No one has greater love than this . . .” | Sixth Sunday of Easter

From the responsorial psalm: “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 15:9-17)

“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.”

As he speaks to the disciples, Jesus uses the word love nine times. In the second reading from the First Letter of John, we hear love spoken about in almost every line—nine times altogether. “Whoever is without love does not know God,” John says, “for God is love.” In the Gospel, Jesus invites us twice, in his words, “remain in my love” just as he has kept his Father’s commandments and remains in his love. And twice he commands the disciples and all who hear him to love one another as he has loved us. How is it possible to remain always in God’s love? On our own, it’s impossible; failure is certain. John reassures us that despite this, love has triumphed: “In this is love,” he says, “not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.” Similarly, Jesus says to the disciples: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” Our love—human love—doesn’t always win, but God’s does because God is love. To this—to the loving relationship of the persons of the Trinity—Jesus asks us to be obedient.

Father in heaven, in your love free me from the domination of false gods and contrived notions of who you are; bring me into the saving friendship of your Son. I am inclined to hear the words “love one another” and then hear my cynical, jaded self respond, “Yeah, right.” Love can be a feeling, but feelings fade. Should I be looking more at a decision, a line drawn in the sand that limits what is passing? The very being of love, you loved me first (“not that we have loved God, but that he loved us”). Let me choose to love, Lord, and reject what is not of you. “Go and bear fruit that will remain,” Jesus says, “so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.” In the name of your Son, Father, help me know the limitlessness of your love and make it known to others.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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