May the Lord give you peace and health in the Holy Spirit.
It is 7th May 2021.
We reflect from Acts 15:22-31 and the Gospel John 15:12-17.
Communication is vital for a prosperous and peaceful co-existence.
Human messengers are irreplaceable for a compassionate, empathetic, intellectual, and charitable way of passing on the message with the utmost intentions of the giver of the message. Until today, with all sophisticated social communication media available, we cannot communicate better. In every exchange of human decision making, something is communicated either in favour of someone or something or the opposite.
The early Church grasped the issues of circumcision for the non-Jews discussed it, debated and discerned, pen down in writing and sending them with the chosen messengers to the place to share where the issue sprouted out. This has become a prototype of the official documents of the Church even today. The messengers were entrusted with the responsibility of explaining the mind of the Church in a way people could understand.
“So, they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. When its members read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation.” (Acts.15:31).
Love is the commandment of Jesus to the entire humanity. We are the friends of Jesus and therefore we need to communicate with other in love and friendly way. God has chosen us to love one another. When love is under threat and lust rules the mind. Sacrifice is the surplus of authentic love. We no longer remain the friends of Jesus, when we have contaminated the wellsprings of love in our hearts.
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Jn.15:13). The fruit of our faith in Jesus is love and loving one another. Our edification and examples we wish to pass on is to be seen in the way we love one another. It is not merely dying for others but living for them that we need today. May we truly become the messengers of love to one another. We cannot communicate better than loving genuinely. Have a lovely day. Breathe a prayer of healing and love for those who are suffering from the pandemic. May God bless you.