Jesus prays to the Father that the disciples might share in his joy. As a Fruit of the Spirit, joy is a quality that arises from our love with God and one another. May we look for joy in our lives today and share the joy of Jesus Christ with those we meet.
In the Gospel of John we hear today how the Lord prays to his Heavenly Father for the disciples. In other words, the Lord prays for us! May this personal relationship we have with Jesus draw us closer to the Christ and one another.
Through the Ascension of the Lord we now look to Christ who is present to all people in all time and space for the grace we need to face the challenges of life. Be not afraid! Rather, draw strength from Jesus and engage life with the joy of the Good News.
Jesus teaches the disciples that out of love he was sent from the Father into this world, and now he leaves the world to return to the Father. All of us are pilgrims passing through this life; as we live each day may we recall that one day the Father will call us out of this world as well.
Jesus promises a joy that is permanent and complete; may we follow the Lord today in the midst of our challenges with the conviction that God will give us what we need to find our way through this life to the Kingdom of Heaven.
We recognize that being disciples of Jesus Christ does not take away experiences of suffering and loss; rather, we understand that God will give us what we need to make our way through even the darkest moments of life – turning our grief into joy.
Jesus promises the disciples that he will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to come upon them after he leaves. The Spirit will shine in the world revealing sin, righteousness and condemnation. May the Spirit help us today to see clearly as we follow the Lord.
The commandment to love one another as Christ loves us will stretch us and invite us to offer our entire lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. May our “Yes!” open our hearts to God’s love in our lives as we share this love with those we meet today.
There is a cost to following the Lord: sometimes we must endure the hardship of hate in this world and contend with forces that would seek to destroy the goodness in our lives. Yet we do not stand alone; Jesus Christ gives us the strength we need to face this hardship with the power of his grace.