May 7, Friday Easter Weekday

I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord. — Psalm 57:10

Mass Readings: Acts 15:22-31 / John 15:12-17

Boundless Love

Jesus is really definite about our need to love one another. Twice in today’s Gospel He commands His followers to love one another (Jn 15:12,17) and sandwiched between these orders He says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (Jn 15:14). 

That really simplifies it. If I want Jesus as a friend, I have to love others. On one level that’s easy. I don’t know most people, so I can love them in some broad way. Where it’s hard is with some people I do know. Worse yet, since Jesus was speaking to His disciples, He seems to mean it’s even more important to love the people we know than to love those we don’t know. Either way, I can’t choose whom to love. Jesus already made that choice for me.

Prayer: Jesus, may my love for other people, like Yours, know no bounds.