Love is fulfilled through life-giving service

May 20, Friday, Fifth Week of Easter
Daily Readings: Acts 15: 22-31, Psalm 57: 8-12, John 15:12-17

Jesus offers us life and love so that we may experience and comprehend his companionship. He assigns us to teach the love he has demonstrated by his sacrifice of life.

In the Gospel story, Jesus talks about friendship. Jesus said, "You are my friends." Can we think of how many friends we have? Do you accept friend requests? Do you quickly call a friendship off and un-friend someone?

As Jesus says, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends" (Jn. 15:13). To love each other is the command of Jesus. Jesus is teaching and showing us what love is. He is the teacher and example of love.

We become his friends fulfilling his command to love others. Love makes us unite with Jesus and others. Love is universal. There is no place for selfishness. We are unworthy, but Jesus chooses us and makes it worthwhile to unite with him in love.

This is essential to understand that Jesus, the love of God, revealed the truth to the world for the whole creation and made the people his friends. Jesus is the truth and the fulfillment of God’s love for humanity. He is the divine revelation to the world. In this, Jesus not only shows his love for us but calls us his friends.

This relationship of friendship invites us to share, surrender, and follow his example of love with true charity, care, and mercy.

Jesus gives us life and love to experience and understand his friendship. He appoints us to go and preach the love that he has shown through his sacrifice of life. He has chosen and appointed us to go and produce fruit. We need to respond to his call and follow him and love each other to show the world the salvific plan of God.