Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Lectionary: 288

“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.

At the heart of faith is simplicity. "Keep it simple!" we like to encourage one another. "It's not that complicated." 

In today's gospel, our Good Shepherd invites us into the heart of love, into the house of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Saint Francis described the mystery well as he pondered the Mother of Jesus: 

Holy Virgin Mary, there is no one like you born in the world among women, daughter and handmaid of the Most High Sovereign King, the Heavenly Father, Mother of our most Holy Lord Jesus Christ, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us with Saint Michael the Archangel, and with all the powers of the heavens, and with all the angels and saints, together with your most holy  beloved Son, Lord and Teacher. 

We have heard God's word to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” We have seen and known his love for us even as we watched him march to Jerusalem and take up his cross. He is the mediator between God and us. In his ready embrace of us we hear God's word to him which becomes God's word to us. Jesus does not recognize any distinction between himself and us, between his body crucified and his body the Church. His love is the temple where we worship the God who is pleased with us because Jesus embraces us as his own. 

Dwelling in his love, pondering it daily, we cannot be bothered with grudges against one another, much less fears for our future. There are things beyond our ken, we need not worry about them. They'll work themselves out and, if we have a part to play, we'll know what to do when the moment comes. Keep it simple. 

In the meanwhile we thank God for the daily challenges that make our lives resemble his journey to Jerusalem.