Brothers, move in the love of the Father and the Son, not only to reach the joy for which you were
created, but also to accomplish securely God’s commandments. God be with you!

In the Gospel reading, John 15: 9-17, for the 6 th Sunday of Easter, Jesus speaks of the empowering
love which enables us to accomplish God’s will. “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” (vv.9-10). There are two
important lessons for men here as regards how vital it is to share in the love of the Father and the
Son, before all else, and how this becomes our true source of joy.

Now, the love of God is proven when His commandments are kept. However, following God’s law
does not generate His love. Something we men often mistake. St. Augustine emphasizes that love
precedes the observance of the commandments: “Wherefore he [Jesus] adds, ‘As my Father hath
loved Me, even so I love you’ [Jn 15:9]. This is the source of our good works. Our good works
proceedeth from faith which worketh by love: but we could not love unless we were loved first.”

Again, one must first abide in love in order to keep the commandments. Yet, practically speaking,
men do not readily think that way. We often believe God’s laws are kept by those determined to do
so. As if God’s commandments are fulfilled by our firmness of will, by discipline, or by the practice
of virtue. While these have a place, as St Augustine teaches, ultimately love in God is the primal
source of our doing good. In brief, our good works proceed by faith, which works through love.

Secondly, in keeping the Father’s commandments, and remaining in His love, we launch into joy.
Jesus says “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you…” (v.11). This joy that Our Lord wishes
us is actually the joy He shares with His Father. That is why He says “my joy”. It is deep. It is
intimate. Our Lord’s joy is remaining in His Father’s love. So too, our joy remains in the love of the
Father, through His divine Son.

We are invited into the love that the Divine Son has with the Father. We don’t have some kind of
parallel love. Jesus wants us to have what He has. He wants us to participate in what He participates
in. So brothers, move in the love of the Father and the Son, not only to reach the joy you were
created for, but also to be reassured this is the most secure way to accomplish the Divine Will.

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