Daily Reflection for Friday, May 14, 2021
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners!
We encourage you to reflect on Friday’s readings at this link:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/051421.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Acts 1:15-17,20-26
Responsorial: Psalm 113:1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8
Gospel: John 15:9-17
Our reflection on Friday’s readings:
This I command you: love one another. John 15:17
As far back as I can remember, I have loved love songs. I was born in the 1960’s, so my music exposure was through the radio or listening to LPs with my siblings or friends. The Carpenters, the Bee Gees, Abba and countless other artists filled my imagination and dreams with this idea that romantic love – both the joy and heartache of it – must be the best and most important part of life. It’s sometimes amazing to me how so many years later, if one of those songs comes on the radio, I can remember the tune and the lyrics and start singing along.
I am blessed to have grown up in a loving family. It was not our family dynamic to say the words, “I love you” out loud but I was surrounded by and witnessed love, caring, and sacrifice from my parents, my grandparents, and extended family. And because of that loving foundation, I was able to extend that love and caring to the friendships I built as I grew and matured. Now as I find myself “sandwiched” between elderly parents and nephews who are young adults, I make it a point to say “I love you” out loud more frequently, not wanting to miss the chance to let those closest to me know how important they are to me.
In today’s gospel, Jesus lays out the greatest commandment: love one another. He is not speaking of romantic love or familial love, but a boundless and universal love that originates with our creator. If we follow Jesus, we must let the love of God flow through us out in the world. Yes, we need to love those closest to us, and we need to love our fellow Christians, but we are called to love everyone. EVERYONE. Oh, what a tremendous challenge this is, and what a tremendous opportunity!
The writers of a popular song from 1965 proposed this kind of love as a remedy for that tumultuous time in our history. The words are as relevant now as they were then:
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some but for everyone
- Hal David/Burt Bacharach
Lord, may we show your love to everyone we encounter today.
Easter season blessings to all,
Andra Liepa