Reflections on the Gospel
Friday, April 5, 2024
Scripture Insights
We are introduced to the Gentile Cornelius. In the verses immediately preceding today’s selection, Cornelius has a vision in which he is instructed to meet Peter. Meanwhile, Peter has a vision that confounds him and that he will later understand as a sign that Gentiles who proclaimed Jesus as Lord should be welcomed into this new community. Upon his first meeting with Peter, Cornelius falls before Peter’s feet. While a conversation between the two ensues, a large crowd gathers. For the first time, Peter begins to teach “that God shows no partiality” between Jew and Gentile. The Holy Spirit descended upon the believers, and the baptism of Cornelius and his household followed.
The Gospel emphasizes that the love exists between the Father and the Son is the same love that must characterize the relationships of Jesus’ followers. This love is so foundational for Christians that we are commanded to love one another. The noun friend, which Jesus uses to describe his relationship with the disciples, is derived from the verb to love. Thus, the friendship identified in this Gospel emphasizes mutual self-giving. Such friendship is far more than a casual relationship with another person.
Notably, these passages where Jesus pours out his repeated messages of love for one another does not mention how we earn this love, or what we did to deserve it. There is nothing we could do to deserve this kind of love that has prompted our God to lay down his life for us. We did not even choose him: he chose us. We did nothing to earn this, and yet God has found us worthy. This kind of bond should in turn prompt us t change our lives to strive to be worthy recipients, to learn to lay down our agendas for one another.
Jesus says the greatest love someone can have for another person is to give up their life for them. Jesus did that for us. Jesus doesn't expect all of us to give up our lives for others, although some people do that (missionaries, people who work for justice, doctors without borders, etc…). Instead, we can give up parts of our lives: our time, our friendship, our help, our care, even our money so that others will have a better life.
Jesus loved us with a perfect love. Can we love perfectly? Probably not, but if we try to follow Jesus’ example and do our best to love our neighbor and God, we will come close to perfect love.