“CHOSEN BY GOD”

“CHOSEN BY GOD”

May 19, 2022. Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter.

Gospel
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.”


Reflection:

A blessed Friday to all of us! A person who loves also obeys. For example, we follow the requests of our loved ones and anything they want that we can do because we love them. If we can do this to people, how much more should we do it with God? How can we follow Him? First, we need to know what to obey. We must first know His commandments, instructions and the teachings He entrusted to the only church He established – the Catholic Church. Maybe, the reason why we seem to get lost and why we don’t know what is right to do in our lives is because the world becomes our basis of what is right or wrong. Maybe, we are just going with the flow of the world or what we usually see in others. Just because many people do it, it doesn’t mean that they are right.

Examples of these include living in with someone even if they’re not yet married in a Church, engaging in sex between people who are not yet married in God’s eyes, cheating or deception, and lying. These are just some of the things that we see others do, but this does not mean that these actions are right. When we no longer know or hear the Word and the commandments of God, especially if we continue to disobey and not pay attention to it, we will also not know His true grace.

Even if we seem to be happy for a while because of what we do, if it is a sin, it will never be equal to the joy that God gives on anyone who believes and follows Him. The joy that comes from God comes naturally. It also lasts and springs from the heart. It’s not like in the world where we always just have to do something which is exhausting. It seems as if we have to always chase something and yet, there is still an emptiness inside us. Have we ever experienced something like this?

If we want to experience complete happiness or the fullness of joy that is not from the world but from God, why don’t we decide to follow Him? Let us determine what is right or wrong based on the teachings of the Church on matters that are critical and need to be decided. Let us seek guidance from God in the big and small things in our lives before we decide on them. May we continue to pray, go to the church and receive the sacrament of confession because it will be our strength in life to face the temptations that come and go especially if we want to always do what is right according to the will of the Lord.

This life is short, and we face a spiritual battle. We must be steadfast in doing what is right and forsaking sin and evil because our eternal life depends on it. May we not be deceived by the things that are temporary, perishing, and disappearing in the world. Above all, let us obey God in everything from small matters to big matters – in our vocation whether it is a religious life, priesthood, or married life and others. This is our purpose in life because God created us. As such, God also set our unique mission as to why He gave us life. We only need to discover what is God’s best and most beautiful plan for those of us whom He has chosen to be children who are unique in the world. Amen. +

May God bless us all. Amen. +
Translations to English by CJT

Reflections by FMMJ
Full readings:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051922.cfm