Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: May 2, 2024

Date:   Thursday of the 5th Week of Easter/Memorial of St. Athanasius

Scripture Text:  Jn 15:9-11

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.”

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The short gospel text for today is drawn from Jesus’ allegorical sermon of the vine and the branches as recounted in the Gospel of John. Jesus reminded his disciples at the time and us today that the bond between the vine and the branches is love itself. As the Father has loved Jesus, so Jesus loves us. And He calls us to remain in His love. And He tells us how to measure whether or not we are doing this – we will remain in His love if we are keeping His commandments of love. Finally, Jesus tells us why He shares this with us – so His joy will be in us as bearers of His love and our joy will be complete.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

 Do I seek daily to live according to the commandments Jesus gave us – the commandments of love for our LORD with our whole being and love for one another?

Praying:

LORD, You know all things before we speak them, before we even think them. You know our desire to remain in You and to live out the love You demonstrated to us through your word, through your works, and through your sacrifice for us is genuine. But You also know all to well the struggles of life and the way the non-essentials dislodge and overshadow the essential. Send your Spirit to illuminate our minds, to strengthen our resolve, to intensify our love for You this day and all days. Amen.