God has raised the Savior from the descendant of David. Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Thursday of the 4th week of Easter, April 29, 2021. Reading is delivered by Calista and meditation is delivered by Natalia, they are from Saint Peter’s School in Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 13: 13-25; Rs psalm 89: 2-3.21-22.25.27; John 13: 16-20.
LOYALTY BECAUSE OF LOVE
Our meditation today has the theme: Loyalty Because of Love. What happens if you are treated very unfairly by someone who is very close and dear to you? We can relate this question to the event of the Last Supper as Gospel accounts tell us. The conversation on that occasion was directed by Jesus to the principle of loyalty and lack of loyalty in relationships between persons. Jesus had known in advance that He would be betrayed by one of His apostles.
Judas Iscariot’s lack of loyalty indeed explains how the persons whom we trust and love most betray us. They can do such evil act to us, to others, or to the promises that they might have made to God. This act of course displeases God. It is also the act in opposition to people who are trying to be loyal or obedient in their lives. You can imagine, you live with people whose loyalty and obedience are very weak, you will definitely get carried away, regret it and be disappointed.
Today the inspiration from our readings wants to lead us to a fundamental conviction that loyalty or obedience can endure and become a strength or a power, if it is based on love. The point is that, if you want to be obedient, love the principles, values or people to whom you must obey. If you want to have loyalty to your homeland, nation, and country, then have the ability to love it with all your heart. Your faithfulness to your vocation and family or community is proven to be good, because it is sustained by your ability to love them.
The Lord Jesus gives us an example of Himself. He says in this way: Amen, I say to you: whoever receives those whom I send, receives Me, and whoever receives Me, receives Him who sent Me (John 13,20). This is the teaching of total loyalty. We are taught to be loyal to Him, and that also means being loyal to the Church which is His body and the leaders and servants who represent the leadership and work of Jesus Christ. These leaders or servants maintain the official doctrinal principles that we follow. Saint Catherine of Siena, known as the Church’s mystic and scholar, managed to stop the conflict within the Church which resulted in the Pope’s exile to Avignon, France, in 1376. The Pope had to return to Rome to lead the Church in loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul and those who accompanied him did their best to be obedient and faithful in the task of spreading the gospel. Their loyalty to Jesus Christ and the one Church should be the example for us. Work, calling and responsibility that we do with all our heart and joy, signify our loyalty to the principles of our life, and God who calls and leads our lives. Let’s pray. In the name of the Father … O Lord Jesus Christ, teach us to be radically loyal to You in every place and moment of our lives. Hail Mary full of grace … In the name of the Father …