Love one another as I have loved you

Acts 15:7-15, Jn 15:9-11. Today's first reading recounts how Peter and Paul experienced the enthusiasm for the Gospel from the non-Jewish hearers. They noticed that the foreigners put in their best to practice what Jesus asked from His first disciples, an honest, open welcome for the word of God. Peter recognised that the Holy Spirit was present in the family of the Roman Cornelius, as at Pentecost when the Spirit came down on the Apostles in the upper room. Thus, Peter baptised those new converts into the faith of Jesus. He knew that this was the right thing to do, even though it meant setting a new precedent and setting aside previous Jewish-Christian practice. He was not sending them to invite the Gentiles to become believers in Judaism but to have a relationship with the God – the one and only true God. In today's Gospel, Jesus summarises His ministry: keeping the commandments of His Father and inviting others to keep the new commandments. Those who choose to do this will have the joy of Jesus and that joy will be complete.

If we are willing to live out this new commandment of Jesus (“love one another as I have loved you”), then we will know the joy of Jesus and that joy will be complete, even in the midst of any persecution we may face. That is the true mark and identity of what being a Christian is and that is what we should be doing in our lives as well. This means that we should avoid living our lives without genuine love and commitment towards the Lord. God called us to His salvation and He has embraced us with His generous love and therefore, just as He has called on everyone to be His followers, Jews and Gentiles alike, from all the whole world, all equally beloved by Him, thus we are all called to love Him with all of our strength, to love Him wholeheartedly and from the deepest of our heart, giving our whole being to Him and appreciating all that He has done for us all these while.

May the Lord come to us with His untiring strength, end the conflicts which divide our world and reveal in our lives the loving-kindness of God! Amen!! Good morning, Peace be with you!!!