Whoever Loves Me
Jesus teaches that if we love the Father, we will keep His commandments. Too often we think of commandments in a negative manner. They can be seen as negative if we see them as forcing us to do something we don’t want to do. But are they commandments forcing us to do what we don’t want if they teach us to live life with love and so we do want to do what they teach? If we think of commandments as gifts of love not as rules our life will change dramatically.
The Acts of the Apostles explain how Israel as a nation brings each territory back into the nation. The tribes of Israel are restored as the people of Samaria turn to Christian faith shared by Philip. Samaria and Israel, bitter enemies, come together as sisters and brothers through their belief in Jesus as the Messiah. His commandment of loving your neighbor wipes away years of hatred and animosity. Families are restored. A peace brought about by the Holy Spirit is experienced by all.
How does this happen? Because the Holy Spirit is moving within each of the disciples. As we grow in God’s love, the Holy Spirit moves us to others, to share that love. We discover as we give our life to God, we will naturally be open to sharing our life with others. As Jesus died on the cross to give us life, we were broken to give life to others, to our neighbors. We become life to our neighbors. Now we begin to understand when Jesus says He is in the Father and the Father is in Him the same life is promised to us. We are in Christ and Christ is in us. And with Christ within us we understand the mission Jesus gave us, to proclaim the gospel. To go out and baptize all nations.
Through this teaching of love, we go out to give others the opportunity to find life in Christ. To discover how they too are in the body of Christ. We share with them the promise of eternal life. We also share that it is not just something in the future but that we share in this promise of eternal life now. Yes, right now in the present. How is that possible? Through baptism and the sacraments. There is no time with God, so He sees everything as it is now and what it will be in the future. As members of the Body of Christ we are members of heaven even now, as Christ in us, we are in Him.
We recognize all of our mothers today. We pray for our mothers who have given us life and love, that we may show them reverence and love. We pray for all mothers who have lost a child through death. May their faith give them hope. May their families support them and console them.
For our mothers who have died, may God bring them into the joy of His kingdom. Loving God, as a mother gives life and nourishment to her child, so you watch over your Church. Bless those women, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen