Gospel: John
15:9-17
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. 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.”
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Reflection:
A
newlywed couple promised to bring to their graves their marriage vows: For better or for worse, for richer or for
poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part, they said. But the
irony is, after having one child and being together for two years they
separated already. What happened to their promise of undying love for each
other? What will happen to their only child?
Nowadays,
many of us have a very shallow understanding of love, it’s not anymore undying
love or sacrificial love. But love based on convenience, love based on what I
can have and what I can possess. The word love has been stripped of its real
value. This is the reason why we see married couples flirting with their
officemates and friends just to vent out their lust and immoral desire for each
other.
This is the
distressing reality right now that’s why we find young couples even middle-aged
couples separating. For the self-serving reason that they are not anymore happy
with their marriage. Are they really not happy in their marriage or they just
want to satisfy their own selfish and immoral desires?
Jesus in
the gospel commands us to love one another. This love is not based on selfish
needs, neither based on convenience. This love is anchored on fidelity, sacrifice,
self-giving and trust. This is the reason why the love of Jesus for us is most
appropriate to incorporate in our married lives. If we have the love of Jesus will
stay with our marriage no matter what and we will pray to Jesus for guidance
and enlightenment.
Let us
remember that Jesus doesn’t give-up on us. He keeps on loving us. He keeps on
knocking in our hearts no matter how wayward or sinful we are. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
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