We must entrust our heart to the Lord to know peace
Reflections on the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter (April 29, 2018): ACTS 9:26-31, PS 22:26-27,28,30,31-32, 1JN 3:18-24, JN 15:1-8
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
What Almighty God asks of His people is simple, but it is everything.
He wants us to embrace and love His Son – and to love each other. God does not want us to be afraid of Him or to dread that He wants more of us than we can give. On the contrary, He offers us life and love and eternity. “God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.… His commandment is this: we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as He commanded us. Those who keep His commandments remain in Him, and He in them” (1 John 3:20, 23-24).
All we have to do is trust in Jesus and listen to Him. All we have to do is follow Christ, return His generous love and share that love with all we meet. We know the yearnings of our own hearts for peace and joy. That is what every person ultimately wants. Whatever the world offers by way of wealth or pleasure, we will never be satisfied. We must replace the desire to have our own way with the decision to seek a close relationship with our Lord. Then we can experience true fulfillment.
Suggested missionary action: Let us ask the Lord to help us, not only in keeping His commandments, but also in wanting to keep them. Let us ask Him to help us grow in fidelity to His will.