Gospel: Jn 14:21-26
JESUS said to his disciples: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name – he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”
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Words don’t come so easy to me,” runs a song, the confession of a young man so besotted by the woman he loves. But the woman can feel the man’s affection by his actions: keeping her company, doing all kinds of favors for her, and having his eyes on her alone. Indeed, love is proven far better by acts than by words.
Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will keep my word.” Discipleship is a union of intimate love with Jesus, but love is not to be interpreted merely as emotion. It is also a matter of human decision and action. One who truly loves Jesus keeps his commandments or, better, the “new commandment” of love. And this is to love one another as Jesus loves the disciples (cf Jn 13:34).
When you tell someone, “I love you,” what do you mean by it? How do you show your love for that person?
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2018,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
