Complete Joy

Complete joy!

9 As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 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.
11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 [a]No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends,[b] because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 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. 17 This I command you: love one another.-John15:9-17

If we want a joy that is complete, we have to be open and receptive to the joy of Christ. To receive the joy of Christ, one must remain in His love. To remain in His love, one must keep His commandments - which is still about Love. Is there really such a thing as joy that is complete? I say, "Yes!" Jesus Himself said, 'I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.' To stay in Jesus' love and to keep His commandments also mean doing the will of God. The will of God can also be in the smallest of all actions i.e. being kind to our employees.

God is Love

Love and Commandments.

9 As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 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.
11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 [a]No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends,[b] because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 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. 17 This I command you: love one another.-John15:9-17

They said we make our own love story. The love story of Couple1 will never be the same with Couple2 or with Couple3 even if there are similarities. But I say, God is the one who chooses for us because He is Love and He knows us better than we know ourselves. Some think that it is fate or destiny that they end up with this or that person. But for me, it is a predestined plan of God for us. It is, however, unfortunate that we take the matter into our hands and simply settle for second best. Instead of letting God guide us, we want to control our life. And with this action, we sometimes regret our decision or live a miserable life. Let us allow God, who is Love, to direct our paths to where it should be. Our Lady of Velankanni, pray for us!

Image courtesy: artist

 

Commandments and Love

Commandment and Love.

9 As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 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.
11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.-John15:9-11

Jesus said, "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." To love is to keep the commandments. To keep the commandments is to love. Commandments and love cannot be separated. Commandments are all about love - loving God and one's neighbor. To love God and one's neighbor is to keep the commandments. I watched a TV series about a very-much married man falling in love with another woman. Later, the man left his family for his mistress. Though they know their sin before God, yet they justify their action by saying, "We did not sin. We only love." Though I champion love, I cannot tolerate a love that rooted from infidelity and unfaithfulness. Jesus is inviting us all to love - love God and to love our neighbor. Yes, there are temptations and 'tests' which challenge our love, faithfulness and fidelity. But we have a choice. We are gifted with a conscience that tells us if sin disguises itself in love.

Image courtesy: artist