Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; 1 Pt 3:15-18; Jn 14:15-21
One day a little boy was sitting and watching his mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. He suddenly noticed that his mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her black head.
He looked at his mother and inquisitively asked, “Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?”
His mother replied, “Well, every time that you disobey my orders and make me unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.”
The little boy thought about this revelation for a while and then said, “Mom, how come all of grandma’s hairs are white?”
(The story is from an unknown author)
Serious admirers often use the old adage that says, “Your wish is my command”. When we love someone, we express willingness to do anything that our beloved ask of us. Jesus simply asks us to observe his commandments.
“If you love me you will keep my commandments.” What Jesus tells us is that we can either love him or sin; we cannot have both. If we truly love the Lord, then we must try to follow what he wishes us to do or avoid. Genuine love for Jesus moves us to change our lives for the better; it also inspires us to distance ourselves from words, actions, people or things that draw us away from him. To sin is to make Jesus second in our priorities. Every time we commit sin, we love someone or something else more than we love Jesus.
How do we know if we love Jesus? The best way is to look at the way we live our lives. Do we live according to the values of the gospel? Are we grateful to God and generous in giving time for prayer and reflection? Are we humble and sincere in our dealings with people? Are we simple in our lifestyle and responsive to the needs of others? Are we patient and forgiving to sinners? Are we taking care of the environment and responsible in using God’s gifts? Are we faithful to our duties as superiors, parents, teachers, or guardians to people entrusted to our care? Are we respectful to those who give their lives for our future and well-being? Are we trying to live as brothers, sisters, or friends with others in the community? If we can give an honest “Yes” to these questions, then we know that we truly love the Lord.
“Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” The reward of discipleship or the fruit of living moral lives is intimate relationship with Jesus and the Father. When we love one another, Jesus and the Father dwell in our hearts and in our midst.
“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live.” Sometimes, we experienced persecution while observing God’s will or while doing what is right. Yet, we remain strong and steadfast because we believe in Jesus’ promise of his abiding and faithful presence. The Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, is already with us. He will defend our cause in the eyes of people, but, importantly, in the eyes of God.
Someone asked God, “How do I live my life best?”
God said: “Face your past without regrets; handle your present with confidence; and prepare for the future without fear.”
(The story is from an unknown author)
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