5th Week in Easter Time, Thursday – 19th May 2022 — Gospel: Jn 15,9-11
Obedience as an Expression of Love
Jesus’ ministry has been always according to the will of God the Father. That is, whatever Jesus did, He did in submission to the Father (Jn 5,19). The love which God the Father has for Jesus is the same love that Jesus has expressed and shown for his disciples. It is a love that is unconditional, a love without end. Jesus passed on this love of God to us, and we, the disciples, ought to continue to transmit that love in the same manner as Jesus in order to make this love visible. The means by which we do that is the same as Christ did: Obedience. When Jesus says “remain in my love,” He doesn’t mean to take rest in knowledge that Jesus loves us (Heb 4,15-16). He also means that we are actively involved in giving this love to others, which requires to obey His teachings (Jn 14,15; 15,10).
