Will you be exalted to heaven?

Gospel MT 11:20-24

Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum:

Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the nether world.

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Will you be exalted to heaven?  That's the compelling question in today's gospel and puts everything else into perspective.  Last night our bikes were stolen from our garage - an old mountain bike, a tandem bike and a newer mountain bike that belonged to my sister-in-law.  Perhaps our older son left the garage door open when he took out the garbage/recycling cans for pickup.  But I can't blame him - how many times have I left the garage door open?  Too many to count.  I was sad and still am - not because the bikes that were stolen were terribly precious, they were just bikes and bikes can be replaced.  I'm sad because the theft reflects a part of the human condition (the ugly part) that I don't want to have to come to grips with.  I feel better when I can trust others, when I can expect the best from them.  This whole bike thing now has me being defensive, protective - what do I have to do now to protect everything else in my house, my wife and children?  Is that an over-reaction or just a stark reality?  At the same time, maybe in light of spending time reading God's word, I am also compassionate toward the people that took our bikes.  Were they desperate?  Addicted?  Jobless and just trying to put food on their table by selling some stolen bikes?  Only God knows.  They live in a world where stealing from others that have more is OK.  I feel sorry for them - I can forgive them.  I need to forgive them.  Will I be exalted to heaven?  Forgiving them is the choice that brings me one step closer to heaven.

Miracles happen

Gospel MT 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.

Some of my chronic pain patients have suffered for many years from compounding, complicated problems.  Sometimes I feel like I have little to offer them.  But that's not entirely true.  I can pray for them.  I can pray for healing.  Just as God has worked miracles in my life, I can ask God to work a miracle in theirs.  And I often do.  Quietly.  They may not even know that I am prayer for them.  Dear Lord, sometimes I feel so overwhelmed and inadequate when a patient comes to me.  Help me to help them.  Use me as an instrument of your power and love.

Our Father

Gospel MT 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Father.  Your will - not mine.  Feed me daily.  Forgive me.  Help me to forgive.  Lead me.  Such a simple prayer that I've prayed thousands of times - it just rolls off my tongue.  It's all there.  All of the necessary ingredients for a relationship with Jesus.  In what situations can I better seek Your will instead of mine?  Who do I need to forgive today?  Am I open to being lead by You?

Pray to your Father in secret

Gospel MT 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Jesus never mentions the word in this reading, but the spirit of humility is woven all the way through it.  Jesus is calling me to be humble.  I think of Abel who has been helping out during our Tuesday retreats - he could very well be the pastor of his own church!  But on Tuesday nights, he's a servant - he makes fresh coffee for everyone to enjoy.  And he does this joyfully with the great humility.  In what ways can I be a humble servant?

pray for your enemies

Gospel MT 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

More from Jesus on how to love others - in fact he calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  I think this extends to those that frustrate, annoy, or just bug me!  Dear Jesus, help me to have more love, and compassion for those that I lose patience with.  I want to love them perfectly just as you love me perfectly.

Turn the other cheek

Gospel MT 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

Jesus commands us to love our neighbor.  And what does that mean?  He answers that in today's reading.  I cringe at the high standards that Jesus has for me.  "Offer no resistance to one who is evil."  Turn the other cheek.  Give above and beyond.  Walk the extra mile.  Dear Jesus, help me to love others as you want me to, especially when I feel like I can't give any more.

God so loved the world

Gospel JN 3:16-18

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

How often have I seen this verse?  So often that it's easy for me to lose sight of what it really means.  If I put the verse in the first person, it would read:  God so loved me that he gave his only Son, so that I (who believes in him) might not perish but might have eternal life.  How can I live my life differently knowing how much God loves me?  Knowing that I'm promised eternal life? I can live without fear.  I can live boldly, courageously, passionately.  I can risk loving others as I have been loved.

be reconciled with your brother

Gospel MT 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

My brother past away when he was 40 - it was so sudden.  I was 36 at the time.  Sixteen years later, I still miss him dearly.  There were two of us and now it's just me - there's a persistent feeling of emptiness and what-if's.  I know Jesus is speaking figuratively when he says be reconciled with your brother, but today I am taking His words literally.  More than anything, I want my to sons, 3 years apart, to remain close to each other as they grow into adulthood and beyond.  My brother supported me, encouraged me, believed in me and then he was gone.  In order for my two sons to have the same relationship, they will have to follow Jesus advice - make amends, reconcile, don't sweat the small stuff.  Dear Lord, help my two sons appreciate each other and love each other.  Help them to resolve their differences quickly and take care of each other as only brothers can.

The Commandments

Gospel MT 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

I read today's gospel and just scrunch up my face.  I'm one of those people that see the necessity of having laws but at heart, I'm a free-spirited rule-breaker.  I'm the one to see just how far I can go without breaking the law, how far I can push the boundaries of a commandment.  How does this mentality play out in my spirituality?  Am I playing with fire?  Dear Lord, thank you for the reminder today that you are calling me to obey and teach your commandments, down to the smallest part of a letter.  It's not easy for me, I know.  Help me to keep your commandments joyfully!

I belong

Gospel JN 17:1-11A

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.

“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”

Being alone can be depressing.  We all have this inner longing to be a part of a greater good.  I've been working out at Clubsport for several years now but I didn't really feel like I belong until I started to teach spinning and even more now that I've experienced a season of coaching aspiring triathletes.  Both of these presented opportunities for me to connect with others at the club in a way that exercising on my own could never do.  It feels good.  In today's reading, Jesus reminds me that I belong to the Father.  The creature belongs to the Creator.  And as a member of God's family it is implied that we share the same origin, needs, desires, and inheritance.  Lord Jesus, whenever I feel alone or lonely, use the Holy Spirit to remind me that I belong to the Father.

I have conquered the world

Gospel JN 16:29-33

The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.” 

As if we needed a reminder, Jesus tells us that "In the world you will have trouble..."  It's true.  Life isn't fair.  Life is full of suffering.  Bad things happen to good people.  People we love go home to be with the Lord - sometimes much earlier than we would hope.  A natural disaster can wipe out our home along with all of our belongings.  But that's not the end of the story is it.  Jesus goes on to say, "take courage, I have conquered the world."  And indeed he has.  What we see with our own eyes in this world is but a small portion of God's kingdom.  Our lives are like candles in the wind - but a small blip compared to eternity.  Lord Jesus, help me to go out into the world with courage - boldly proclaiming how much you love us, trusting that you've already conquered the world.  

7th Sunday of Easter!!!

Gospel JN 17:1-11A

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.

“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”
I wonder why Jesus had to leave?  After rising from the dead, what if he just stayed and continued to build the church from generation to generation?  If anyone could have done it, certainly it was Him., right?  It's been said in business circles that a truly great leader works himself out of a job - he is so good about attracting and training the right people that eventually he can step down and the organization continues to thrive.  I think that's what happened 2000 yrs ago when Jesus ascended.  His intention was for all of us to become the best version of ourselves and for that to happen he needed push us out of the nest and learn to fly on our own.  I would also add the the life of Jesus parallels my own - at one time we had glory with the Father before the world began.  And there will come a time when our work is done here on earth and we will return to perfect communion with God for the rest of eternity.

My spirit rejoices

Gospel LK 1:39-56

Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.

So we go back in time with today's reading, all the way back to the Immaculate Conception when Mary could first feel Jesus stirring in the womb.  The parallel to make is that Mary, just like the disciples, accepted God's call and rejoiced in God as her savior.  I love her spirit of gratitude and humility.  Mary's prayer is appropriate as an everyday prayer, don't you think?

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

Pain & Joy

Gospel JN 16:20-23

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” 

In this reading, Jesus talks about the bittersweet existence of a disciple - a life of both pain and joy.  How true!  I just completed 3 months of training with a group of triathletes to get ready for a tri that is happening this weekend.  Yes, there is the pain of running on tired legs.  Yes, there is a very literal pain in the butt from logging mile after mile on a hard saddle.  But through it all there is the joy of pushing past our perceived limits.  It's a joy that no one can take away from us because it's a joy that comes from within much like the joy that Jesus is talking about here.  Lord Jesus, I look forward to the day when I see you again and I rejoice!

The Ascension

Gospel MT 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
The message of Easter is that death is not the end.  It wasn't for Jesus and it is not the end for us.  Just as Jesus ascended into heaven to be with His Father and all of the angels and saints, so too will we ascend to heaven.  When it is my time, I will be reunited with the Father, the angels, the saints, my brother Larry, my father, Tita Amy, everyone who has been dear to me.  Honestly, it's hard to comprehend this.  And how does this effect how I live my life right now when I know how my life ends?  It means I can let go of all the "small things" that might be keeping me from loving others more deeply.  We can rejoice together in the fact that what God has started in us here on earth, will be made perfect in heaven.

Declare

Gospel JN 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you.”

Declare.  The word shows up in this short reading 3 times.  The Greek word for declare is defined as follows:

properly, tell all the way up, i.e. clearly – declaring a thought (communication) that shows it has cleared (gone through) its necessary stages.

This suggests that the Holy Spirit is a direct conduit of communication from God - a direct pipeline from God's heart to ours.

Dear God, help me to be even more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit - to discern those very thoughts that have originated from you.

Let the Holy Spirit convict

Gospel JN 16:5-11

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me; 
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

Jesus is His "Last Discourse" goes on to talk even more about the Holy Spirit who comes to hold the world accountable for sin, righteousness and condemnation.  As I think about how to parent my two teenage sons, I am assured by today's reading.  I am free to love them in the same way that I am loved by The Father - compassionately, mercifully, with love poured out, accepting them just as they are.  I can let the Holy Spirit convict them of sin and trust that Holy Spirit can do a much better job of this than I ever could.

The Spirit of Truth

Gospel JN 15:26-16:4A

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.

“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.”

More from Jesus about the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of truth.  As He talks to the disciples, he foretells of trials, hardships, and even death that are the direct result of their faith.  And he encourages them to stay true to their internal compass, the Holy Spirit, as it points towards the truth.  Dear Jesus, life is often difficult, uncertain, and unfair - and I continue to look to the Holy Spirit to keep me on a straight path especially when I am under attack because of my faith in You.

You are in me and I in you

Gospel JN 14:15-21

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, 
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
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.”
The sixth Sunday of Easter!  Yes, this is still the Easter season.  I know in the past I've mistakenly interpreted the First Sunday of Easter as the culmination of the Easter season, but in reality, it's only the beginning.  This year my joy is greater as week after week, we are reminded of the good news that Jesus shares with us on Easter.  And this Sunday it's no different.  Jesus in his wisdom has sent the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Spirit of truth to be with us.  He knows how weak I am!  And it's the moment-to-moment awareness, even the moment-to-moment surrender of my will to the Holy Spirit that guides my life - like a lighthouse guiding a lost ship back to shore.

Thick skin

Gospel JN 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.
Remember the word I spoke to you,
‘No slave is greater than his master.’
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,
because they do not know the one who sent me.” 

In this reading, I think Jesus is preparing the disciples for the rejection, even hatred, that they are about to experience as they share Jesus message of love and hope.  Not everyone will be willing or ready to accept the message.  They may even be persecuted for it - even die for speaking the truth.  Jesus is also preparing me for rejection and persecution as well.  To be a follower of Jesus means to have a thick skin.  That's clearly an area of growth for me.  Dear Jesus, help me to stay true to doing your will even when it's uncomfortable or inconvenient.

Love One Another

Gospel JN 15:12-17

Jesus said to his disciples:
“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.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”

Love one another.  I've heard this before.  But how?  By laying down one's life for one's friends.  That's asking a lot.  I think the closest I've come to this is by loving my wife - expressed through the sacrament  of marriage.  I gave up my life as a single person and vowed to stay faithful to her in sickness and in health, in good and bad.  I've also laid down my life for my sons.  I've had fleeting moments of how my life with Marie would be different if we didn't have kids - the freedom, fewer complications.  But when I reflect on the joy that they have brought me - to see God shape their lives right before my eyes, there's no way I would trade what I have now for a childless life.  Marie and the boys - we're all in this together.  Iron sharpens iron.

Remain

Gospel JN 15:9-11

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that
my joy might be in you and
your joy might be complete.”

Remain.  Remain.  Remain.  It shows up three times in this short reading.  I like these translations of the Greek word "remain."

Remain means to be rooted  in Christ (see yesterday's reading about the vine), knit to Him by the spirit I have received from Him, and

remain implies that something has established itself permanently within my soul, and always exerts its power in me

Lord Jesus, thank you for establishing yourself permanently in my soul.  I am open to You exerting your power, love, and influence over me at all times in all things.

I am the vine

Gospel JN 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
Great imagery in this reading.  Jesus is the life-giving vine and we are the branches that bear the fruit of his love.  But there's more.  God the father prunes the branches so that we can bear more fruit.  This may be painful or uncomfortable at times.   But it is essential for my growth, to become the best I can be, to become holy.  So when God does some pruning back of my own ego, I can consider it blessing instead of a trial - I can look forward to bearing more fruit - remaining in Jesus and becoming a better disciple.

My peace I give to you

Gospel JN 14:27-31A

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

How troubling it must have been for the disciples to see Jesus brutally crucified, raised from the dead, and now suggesting that he will be returning to His Father in heaven.  Talk about a roller coaster ride.  I would understand if the disciples felt abandoned.  But Jesus assures them not to be troubled or afraid because he gives them His peace.  Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me Your peace - especially when I am troubled or afraid.