Complete Joy
Sixth Sunday of Easter (B)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 15:9-17 – 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 may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 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. This I command you: love one another.”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
During the Easter season we focus in a special way on peace and on joy. There is not a person on earth who does not want true peace and deep joy. Yet there are very few who really have these things. Perhaps this is because we look in the wrong places. Jesus talks about joy and peace in the Gospels. He wants us to have them. But He makes a distinction that the peace and joy He is speaking of is of a different quality than can be found anywhere else: “Not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). Jesus doesn’t simply want to give Christians a peace and a joy that will make us feel good and happy for a time. He says in today’s Gospel that He wants us to have “complete” joy, to have His own joy. And right before this passage, Jesus tells His apostles that He wants them to have His own peace (John 14:27).
Jesus wants to give us His interior life, the life of His own soul. The life of God is infinite joy and infinite peace. This is what Jesus wants to give us when He says, “my joy” and “my peace I give you.” We access His life, and therefore His peace and His joy, by remaining in His love. How can we do a better job remaining or abiding—living—with Jesus in the Sacraments, in prayer, and in our actions?
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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