Dear Friends:

In the Liturgy of the word today, Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” (Jn.14,23.24a) There is an inseparable connection between loving Jesus and keeping His word, between love and obedience. Love is the root, obedience is the fruit.  When there is sincere love of a person, there is fulfillment of his wishes. When there is sincere love of Jesus, there is keeping His word. When there is sincere love of the church, there is observance of her laws. When there is sincere love of the liturgy, there is observance of the liturgical prescription.  When there is sincere love of the congregation to which one may belong, there is obedience to the rules of the congregation. When there is no keeping of God’s word, there is no love of God. When there is no observance of the laws of church, there is no love of the church. Let us therefore show in our lives that we love Jesus by keeping His word. Let us be sincere in our efforts when we say that we love Jesus but disregard His word then we are not sincere but deceive ourselves.

Again, the Lord told his disciples, “peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” (Jn.14.27).

Peace is a gift of the Lord. The Lord grants it to those whom he favors. St. Paul says, “Our God is the God of Peace.” (Rom.15.3) “Jesus is our peace.” (Eph.2.14). “The gospel we preach is the gospel of peace.” (Eph. 6.15).

Before departing from this earth, Jesus divested all His possessions. His soul He committed to His Father; His body to Joseph of Arimathea to be buried decently; His clothes to the soldiers; His mother to St. John and His peace to his poor disciples. He did not have any other possessions to give them but He gave them the best and the most needed: His peace. His peace comes with His presence. Wherever He is, there is peace. The peace, which He gives, is the peace between God and us. We who were at variance with God have, now, been united with Him by His blood. Jesus has worked out this peace between the Father in heaven and the rebellious prodigal children on earth. We are therefore no more strangers and aliens but children of God.

May the peace which Christ promised His disciples reside in our hearts and in our families. May Christ’s love and command reign supreme in all the aspects of our lives, so that we may enjoy His peace.

Fr. Chris