17 May 2009
First reading Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-48
As Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘I am only a man after all!’ Then Peter addressed them: ‘The truth I have now come to realise’ he said ‘is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.’
While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit came down on all the listeners. Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were all astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be poured out on the pagans too, since they could hear them speaking strange languages and proclaiming the greatness of God. Peter himself then said, ‘Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we have?’ He then gave orders for them to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterwards they begged him to stay on for some days.
Psalm or canticle: Psalm 97:1-4
Second reading 1 John 4:7-10
My dear people,
let us love one another
since love comes from God
and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,
because God is love.
God’s love for us was revealed
when God sent into the world his only Son
so that we could have life through him;
this is the love I mean:
not our love for God,
but God’s love for us when he sent his Son
to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.
Gospel John 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘As the Father has loved me,
so I have loved 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 own joy may be in you
and your joy be complete.
This is my commandment:
love one another, as I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love
than to lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends,
if you do what I command you.
I shall not call you servants any more,
because a servant does not know
his master’s business;
I call you friends,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.
You did not choose me:
no, I chose you;
and I commissioned you
to go out and to bear fruit,
fruit that will last;
and then the Father will give you
anything you ask him in my name.
What I command you
is to love one another.’
Reflection
by Grace Madrinan
My friends sometimes tease me as ‘malakas sa Diyos’ (God’s favored one). Maybe because they see the many blessings I received. Most of which are answered prayers. From the simplest ones like finding a convenient ride home, to the more serious ones like complete healing – all I received by the grace of God.
Although I feel flattered at times to be associated as ‘God’s favored one’, I don’t want to think of it that way because I know God does not play favorites. As Psalm 23 states, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”. Therefore, we have everything we need, and He provides at the perfect time we need it.
Come to think of it, aren’t we all God’s favored ones? He sent us His only son to be the light of the world. And if that’s not enough, Jesus died on the cross for our sins. After rising on the third day, He came back to the disciples and prepared them for His mission to spread His Gospel of love, which we now enjoy.
In today’s Gospel, one of my favorite lines states, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete”. What this means to me is that Jesus had so much joy receiving the words from the Father that He wanted us to experience that same joy. He no longer considered us as slaves, but as His friends. And as His friends, we gained the privilege of learning what Jesus heard from His Father, first hand.
As friends of Jesus, we must do our part of fulfilling what He desires for us. And that is to remain in His love. It is already with high esteem to be called as Jesus’ friend, it is only fitting to act according to His commandments.
Remember the saying that sometimes we tend to look almost like our friend whom we are always with? I hope we can look more like Jesus everyday.
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us. In every moment of our lives, may You find us worthy to be called Your friends. Amen.
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