See Him: Who Is Love

The Festival of Jesus’ Ascension into heaven is right around the corner. With Christ’s visible presence about to be removed, how will the world see him?

It should see him when it looks at us. We must strive to reflect the love of Christ and his obedience to his Father in our lives. This isn’t optional or merely for overachievers. The branches, to connect with last week’s Gospel lesson, bear corresponding fruit of necessity. To spur us on, Jesus gives us a new title; he calls us his friends, those with whom he has shared the heart and mind of God! Jesus says to his disciples: Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching and the Triune God will make his home with you. What a reward! And yet, we are incapable without God first loving us. Praise be to God that he loves us—lives for us and with us—to motivate our love. Christ for us aims at visible results in our relationships that show Christ in us. God is love so we love one another.