Sixth Sunday of Easter

John 14: 15-21

 

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

How many times when I was a child did my mother tell me, in not so many words, “If you love me, you will listen to what I say.”?  Oh, she never made her love conditional.  On the contrary, whenever I was scolded, or reprimanded or punished she would always make it a point to tell me that she was doing so because she loved me.  That she wanted me to be safe from harm. She wanted me to grow up right and be happy.  She wanted me to become a good person.  The implication was always, “If you listen to what I tell you, it means that you know how much I love you.”

 

Jesus’ words today may sound conditional, but we know they are not.   Jesus’ words are my mother’s words, “I love you so much that I want you to listen to what I say, to obey my commandments, so that you will grow up right, so that you will happy and peaceful, and that your life will be a witness to the Father’s glory.”

 

As a child it may have been enough to listen to mom (and dad) simply because I was told to.  Being a “good boy” certainly saved a lot of hassle.  But knowing that mom and dad’s instructions and admonitions were the product of their love made such a difference.  It led me to something much deeper than mere obedience.  Knowing how much I was loved was the greatest gift I could ever receive from them and has made me the person I am today.  (Oh, I have way too many faults, but, on balance, I’m happy with the person I see in the mirror.) So too with Jesus.

 

I can call myself a good follower of Christ if I obey Jesus’ commandments simply because he told me to.  But in just checking off that box I’d be missing the point.  I would be obeying out of a sense of obligation, not out of love. I would not be fully embracing His love for me, and, as a result, I would not be allowing Him to transform me. 

 

We know the old adage:  My life is Gods gift to me.  What I do with my life is my gift to God.

 

It’s as simple as that.  Obeying Jesus’ commandments is the best way for me to say, “I love you, too, Jesus.”

 

 

“Call Me Ishmael”

 

Love and Trust.

 In this week's gospel, John 14:1-12, Jesus reassures the disciples that he is who he says he is.

Jesus says to them, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Jesus wanted the disciples to know that they were ready for the next chapter of this story. They had some doubts about what Jesus was going to do next and needed to have their faith strengthened. That's exactly what he did. He explained that in "his father's house there are many dwelling places…" These statements were God's way of making it clear to them that the disciples were already in God's hands. I think we have all needed the reassurance that we were in God's hands every now and then. We have had those moments where we just wish we had a clear sign that everything was going to be ok.

There have been so many seasons in my life where I wasn't sure if what I wished for was going to happen. Living with uncertainty takes tremendous faith. We are called to have faith in something not seen. Jesus was calling the disciples to believe that he wasn't going to just leave them. He had a plan. All he wanted was trust. Still they questioned him. Thomas said, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus responds powerfully, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." This exchange between Jesus and the disciples is one of my favorites. The disciples just want to be sure. They want a definite answer to calm their nerves. That's exactly what Jesus gives them when He says, "I am the way." He is the answer to all of the questions. He is the certainty when you don't have it.

How many times have you been just like the disciples? How many times have you asked God for what you already have? You know that God will never leave you in a position that isn't right for you. No matter what you are going through, deep down you know that God will never let you down. Sure, there will be pain. Sure, there will be suffering, but it is always God's will. Still we question. We ask for more signs. The truth is that we do not need any more signs. We need to trust. We need to know who the Father is. We need to wake up every day with the understanding that the will of God is the only thing that we can count on. Our will isn't enough. That's exactly why we question. Remember that when you want certainty, there is only one answer. Today's Gospel is a reminder that we may question the plan, but the answer is and will always be the same. Trust the Lord.