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Vocation Meditation -
6th Sunday of Easter, 2009
Jesus said to his disciples: "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love.
"I have said these things to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved 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 do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father."
"You did not choose Me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask Him in My name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."
Jesus clearly defined the kind of life of those who follow Him more closely. He proposed to them a way of life, a life that abides in His love. The central words of this passage are those when He said that his disciples have not chosen Him, but He has chosen them. Like His disciples, for what did Jesus choose us?
We are chosen for joy. It is the joy that comes from obeying His commandments. The Christian way is always a way of joy. It is never gloomy. It is the fruit of doing greater things for others.
We are chosen for love. Jesus sent His disciples out into the world to witness His love that is ready to bend and care, to reach out and build bridges, to forgive and to trust, to love as Jesus loved till the end.
We are chosen to be His friends. Jesus does not need slaves to do His will. He called His own - friends. Friends have access with friends. Jesus called us to be His friends and so, friends of God. We no longer need to gaze lovingly at God from afar. We can enter into His presence, enter into intimacy with our loving Father.
We are chosen to be partners with Jesus. Servants are like tools in the master's household. They never know his thoughts. Instead, Jesus shared His thoughts with His disciples, empowering them as partners in His work of leading the world to God.
We are chosen to be God's messengers. Jesus sent his disciples out into the world with a task to proclaim God's love, mercy and obedience to His commands. God's command to love one another must be delivered with primacy and urgency. When this is done by us, God is glorified.
We are chosen to be privileged members of God's family. Jesus promised that in prayer, whatever we ask in His name, the Father will give to us. In Jesus, we have access to the heart of God. In His name, the Father grants us anything needed for our vocation and mission.
Vocation Challenge:
"You have not chosen me, I have chosen You."
Do I humbly recognize for what greater things God has chosen me?
Dear God,
You chose me to abide in Your love. As Your own, guide my vocation to serve You better as a friend, partner and messenger in Your Kingdom. Make my joy complete every time I love and obey your commands. Amen.
For the full Gospel reading for this Sunday, visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops site.