Coffee With God 14 May 2024- That your Joy may be full…

John 15: 9-17 The Church celebrates the feast of Apostle Matthias. The Acts of the Apostles narrates the story of Matthias's election to the group of Apostles to replace Judas Iscariot. The Gospel today takes us to the Last Supper, where Jesus gives his new commandment: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (v. 12). He invites us to abide in his love so that our joy may be full (vv. 9-11). To abide in the love of Jesus, we are called to keep his commandment, “that you love one another as I have loved you” (v. 12). Pope Francis teaches us that loving like Christ means rejecting other kinds of love that the world offers, such as love of money, success, vanity, and power. These tempting paths of love lead us away from the love of the Lord and make us more selfish, narcissistic, and overbearing. We often prefer to abide in self-love instead of God’s love. Those who are consumed by self-worship tend to focus solely on themselves, constantly gazing at their own reflection. On the other hand, those who abide in the love of the Lord are blessed with the promise of joy that can only come from God. When we are loved by God despite our shortcomings, we experience a joy that empowers us to face the challenges of life with confidence. True Christians are never without joy, even in the midst of adversities.