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by Rev. Dr. V Kurian Thomas, Valiyaparambil
Scripture: John 15:9-17
Next Sunday is New Year's day. According to our liturgical calendar, the first
day of the year is the celebration of the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus. It
is a Christian celebration in accordance with Jewish tradition which is eight
days after the birth and is the occasion when the child is formally given his
name. The custom was practiced to keep up with the Jewish law which then was
that all males shall be circumcised eight days after his birth when the child is
formally given his name. Thus Jesus fulfilled the law to show descent to the
flesh of Abraham. He was, as St Paul says, "made under the law", that is,
submitted to the Mosaic tradition in order to fulfill all justice. He endured
this human humiliation to bear the sins of the world which he had taken upon
himself.
The second chapter of Luke records the circumcision of Jesus. When eight days
were completed for the circumcising the child, his name was called Jesus, which
was so named by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Luke 2:21)
After the 1st century, the issue of circumcision was resolved and the non-Jewish
Christians were not obliged to be circumcised. Apostle St. Paul was a leading
proponent of this position. Circumcision soon became rare since that time in the
Christian world.
Today's Gospel reading is from John 15:9-17.
Gospel: "9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my
love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have
kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so
that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is
this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this:
to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I
command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his
master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I
learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I
chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit - fruit that
will last - and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17
This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:9-17)
Theme: How to dwell in Jesus' love for a joyful life?
Message:
Paul Dore was a well known German painting artist who lived in the 19th century.
He was known for illustrating many paintings of spiritual art. He said once that
'you have to love the object to be able to truly do justice to your work. The
more you love the object, you would do more justice to it.'
Something similar is true of our Christian life. If we love Jesus more, we will
serve him better; We will follow his ways; and we will obey his commandments.
The stronger our love for Jesus, the greater our fellowship with him will be.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus then would direct our life. From his
love, we will abide by obeying his will upon us.
Our love for God will strengthen his will upon us. For this, we have to
encourage God's love to enter in us. In order to achieve that, we must
cheerfully obey God's Commandments. When we increasingly experience God's love
by obeying God's commandments, we will then realize the joy of God's presence in
us. The Holy Spirit will fill us with joy and happiness that cannot be expressed
in any words.
Bible's most important scripture, John 3:16 tells us, 'For God so loved the
world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.'
Just before going to the cross, Jesus took the opportunity to instruct his
disciples and said to them, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Now remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told
you that my joy is in you and that your joy may be complete."
Two things Jesus has told them: "Obey my commands" and "remain in my love."
These commands are given for the simple reason that we might have complete joy
in God's presence. The first command is Obedience. Obedience results in joy. The
purpose is not to limit the freedom so that to make our life miserable. The
opposite is true. Obedience to God is the path to joy. By obeying the commands,
we find significance and purpose in our life. Joy is a product of obedience to
Jesus. The purpose of Jesus' teaching is is to experience his love, thereby
experience his joy. It was for giving us a life full of joy. Jesus is the source
our joy. Jesus' joy came through his obedience to his Father's will. The command
to obey his will results in our joy. Jesus had great joy in pleasing his
Father's will. Jesus wants to share that joy with us. It is a gift of Jesus that
he plans to give to his obedient disciples. It is simply more than human joy. It
is the joy of knowing Jesus. It is the joy of knowing his love. It is an echo of
God's life within us.
The joy that Jesus offers is not worldly pleasure, but is spiritual happiness.
Worldly pleasure is dependent on circumstances. Spiritual joy is inward and is
not affected by one's environment. Pleasure is a changing phenomenon. The joy
from Jesus is full and everlasting. It is grounded in Jesus. It is the
sacrificial giving of ourselves. It focuses on the needs of others.
Dwelling in Christ means living by his words. Living by his words leads to
communion with Jesus which will make us fruitful and prove that we are true
disciples of Christ. Love of Jesus leads to obedience to Christ. This love
unites and strengthens our relationship with Jesus. The resulting relationship
will produce joy in us.
See Also:
Devotional Thoughts for Jan 1 - circumcision of Lord
by Jose Kurian PuliyerilSermons, Bible Commentaries and Bible Analyses for the 1st Sunday after Christmas
Why Jesus was Baptized?
by Rev. Fr. K. K. JohnChrist Jesus, the Voice, and the Dove
by Jacob P Varghese
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