Key:
What these passages tell us about God
What these passages tell us to do
Commentary
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Reading 1 ACTS 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, "Get up. I myself am also a human being."
Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him."
While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.
Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him."
While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.
Then Peter responded, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people,who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?" He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victoryfor him, his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvationknown: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindnessand his faithfulnesstoward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God.Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victoryfor him, his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvationknown: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindnessand his faithfulnesstoward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God.Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Reading 2 1 JN 4:7-10
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the worldso that we might have life through him.
In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
Alleluia JN 14:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel JN 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."
1. God’s love radiates from today’s readings:
A. He loves all people, whatever their nationality or background, and freely offers His blessings and fellowship to all (first reading, second reading, gospel).
B. God’s generosity with His love illustrates the depth of that love; it is offered freely even though it cost Him dearly (send reading, gospel).
C. That love is beneficial; it provides “salvation,” “justice,” and “kindness” (psalm). God is faithful to deliver that love (psalm, second reading). Those aspects of His love bring to mind Wisdom 7:22-23.
D. God really, really, wants us to receive His love and experience the joy that comes with/from it (gospel).
2. So how do we respond to that wonderful love? Today’s readings tell us some ways:
A. Keep His commandments (alleluiaverse, gospel). Jesus seems to be saying that not so much to lay down a condition to receiving God’s love, but as an instruction on how most fully access it. This is how His “joy may be in“ us and how our “joy might be complete.”
B. We should actively seek to bear good fruit for Jesus (gospel). That fruit comes in an infinite variety of forms, but good places to start are the corporal and spiritual woks of mercy.
C. Share that love by loving others (second reading, gospel). We should not limit that sharing to folks of our own nationality but should extend love to all (first reading). That is consistent with a long line of unambiguous scriptural instruction to extend grace to folks who are “foreigners” from our prospective. See Exodus 22:21-24; Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 10:18; Deuteronomy 24:19. See alsoDeuteronomy 27:19.
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