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.”
+ + + + + + +
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. But the irony was, 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,
immorality and adulterous desires.
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, lust and
adulterous 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 we would stay with our marriage no matter what.
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 and sinful we have
become. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
No comments:
Post a Comment