Jesus said to his disciples: "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 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. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete." (Jn 15:9-11)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051123.cfm
Love and joy. Jesus is not talking about butterflies and bunny rabbits. Jesus is talking about the hard work of building a world of justice, the hard work of forgiving unforgivable hurts and injuries, the hard work of reconciliation and of loving unlovable people. The joy of the Risen Lord in us makes our joy complete.
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Thursday, Week V, Easter
