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6th Sunday in Easter (B)

Love one another. JOHN 15:9–17

By June Renie

In last weekend’s gospel (Jn 15:1–8) the risen Jesus began a discourse with His disciples wherein He encouraged them to remain connected to Him through His Word, His many teachings, and the example of His life. “You are pruned already by means of the words I have spoken to you” (Jn 15:3).

This discourse is regarded as Jesus’ farewell as He is soon to depart this world to return to His Father. Ascension Sunday is next week Sunday. Jesus reminds His disciples that He is “the true vine” (Jn 15:1) and as the vine, He is connected to the Father.

The disciples, as branches of the vine, are being urged to stay connected to Him that they may glorify God through the bearing of much fruit.

Today’s gospel continues the discourse. It speaks to us of Love. It is a message to all the world. This is my commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12) and again at (Jn 15:17), “What I command you is to love one another”.

This narrative is about the abiding and the empowering love of Jesus, who laid down His life for His friends. It is seen in the mutuality of love of the Father, the Son, and the disciples as Church. As the Father has loved, so the Son loves.  Love begins with the Father and flows through the Son to the disciples and to us as Church who obey His commandments. However, there is a caveat in that this love, though freely given, is dependent upon obedience to the commandments. “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” (Jn 15:10).

The Son’s love in laying down His life is not accidental. It mirrors the Father’s love. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” (Jn 3:16).  Jesus came to do His Father’s will, so that the world might know that He loves the Father (Jn14:31) and the Father loves Him because He lays down His life in obedience to the Father’s command (Jn 10:17). In the same way Jesus promises to love His disciples/church, if they obey His commandment.

The narrative continues “I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your own joy may be complete” (Jn 15: 11). Reference here is to the joy of the disciplined life, the goal of abiding in Jesus’s love. It is a new relationship. “You are my friends … I shall not call you servants anymore…I call you friends…”

(Jn 15:16). This is a relationship into which the resurrected Jesus calls His disciples, to a new status whereby the power to respond to His command to “love one another” comes from this call to us all in many different ways. “I call you…I chose you… and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit…” (Jn 15:16).

This gospel of love and of abiding in Jesus’ command to “love one another” is grounded in this announcement “you did not choose me, no, I chose you”

(Jn 15:16).

Our joy comes from knowing that we have been chosen, called, and sent. It is this joy and power within us, at the centre of which is always the cross that renews, transforms, and transfigures us into new creations.  It is in this state that love is generated in and through us, and it is never to be taken lightly that the depth of this love is seen in a life laid down for one’s friends.

The final and exclusive reward lies in this promise “and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name’’.  Note that this is contingent upon “If you keep my commandments…” (Jn 15:10).

PRAYER

Father, in Jesus’ name, we ask that You keep us grounded in the true vine so that we may joyfully obey Your commandments and live in abundance where, much fruit that will last, is produced to Your glory.

The gospel meditations for May are by June Renie, a retired law librarian and a graduate of the Catholic Bible Institute. She is an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at St Anthony’s parish, Petit Valley.