Scripture Scribbles: May 5, 2024

the Gospel

John 15:9-17

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 may be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another."

the devotion

Our modern notion of freedom often entails doing what we want, when we want to without anything holding us back.

We are free of responsibility, and following our feelings and pleasures brings us happiness.

Or so we think.

Today’s Gospel gives us a different picture of True freedom and True Joy: remaining in His Love.

Jesus describes what will free us from slavery, the slavery of sin.

What enslaves you? Addiction, smart phones, pleasure, people pleasing, anger? It’s clear Jesus wants us to bear fruit and remain in His love and His Father’s love. How do we do this? Follow the commandments of His father - the Ten Commandments - and love one another.

It sounds so simple! Do this and our lives will bear fruit, we’ll be free, and joyful!

Then why is it so hard to remain in His Love and enter into the Divine intimacy we are called to every day??

How often I get distracted in prayer. Then life swiftly picks me up like a strong current. Before I know it, a week has gone by and I’ve simply thrown up a “text message” to God. “Come Holy Spirit,” “Hail Mary,” “Get me through this day.”

Sometimes we need these simple “text message” prayers to get us through difficult moments; however, we are called to a daily, deeper relationship with Him. As we know, a simple text message to our friends, even if on a daily basis, does not truly help a friendship grow. It maintains it at its current status. This is true with our Lord, we are called to immerse ourselves in His Word, His Sacraments, His commandments, His Love.

Where in your life do you need to enter into a meaningful conversation with the Lord or to engage in quality time with Him?  

Today’s devotion was written by Diana Giard