November 20, 2022
May 14, 2020
John 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 might 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.”
Today we celebrate the Feast of St Mathias. He epitomizes Jesus saying, “You did not choose me. I chose you.”
With Judas dead, there needed to be someone to replace him. So, two names were put forth by the 120 disciples. Mathias was one and lots were cast and he was chosen as the 12th Apostle.
We don’t know much about him but tradition has him, like St Stephen – a deacon being stoned to death. “No greater love than this”
Jesus continues, on this feast day, to teach us that love is the fruit of our labors. We are set free from the bondage of earthly requirements so that we may love.
A warning, this love of Jesus’, is not something to take on in an off hand manner. We may no longer be slaves to our earthly weaknesses hating others because of things they have no control over – birth, skin color, intelligence, religion – but we have a much greater responsibility.
Because he chose us.
Love one another as I have loved you.
What I Heard Him Say 