Jesus is telling “Love one another as I have loved you.” Jesus has loved me in my sinfulness and in my brokenness. Even when we reject him, he loves us. His love is a self-giving love. He does not wait till we change to love us. Today Jesus’ words are a challenge to me. Can I love the person who has hurt me? Can I accept the people who do not agree with my ideas and my way of doing things? When a person is a threat to my position or someone is dominating, can I not reject that person. The one who I feel has harmed my good name, can I work together with that person? Is it hard or impossible? Have we stopped doing good works because of a person? Let us examine ourselves and give the truth to Jesus. The first reading shows, how the early Church depended on the Holy Spirit for their decisions. Empowered by the Spirit they accepted the Gentiles, whom they never accepted before. Let us invite the Holy Spirit into our lives, let him burn our sinful nature. Then we will be filled with the power to accept people as they are.

Prayer: Abba Father, give us the power to love and accept the people that you have placed in our lives. Amen.