Gospel JN 14:21-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”

Reflection

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

Since childhood, we feel a ‘tug of war” within us: Loved and at peace when our parent is pleased at our obedience but feeling lost and alone when we choose to go our own way and do our own thing. It is the same when we stray from God.

The “prodigal son” (Luke 15) learned the sorrow and loneliness that comes from leaving his father behind.

Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Whoever loves me will keep my word and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”

Those who put their faith and trust in Jesus are not reluctantly obedient to God’s word out of fear of not being loved. As Christians, we willingly obey Christ’s word because of our love of the Father who first loved us.

Obedience flows from our love of God and sets us free from the chains of sin. Keeping His word should not be a burden but instead a blessing.

“Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”

We may hear God’s message and even do His work but if we do not live by the word of God we will not feel at peace with Him.

As we maintain hope and pray for the courage to change, there is
a saving grace: Our Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to teach us and draw us ever closer to Him.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18