Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”
John 15:9-17

Prayer

Dear Father may we come to love you as you love us. Let us always be reminded of the fact that you have chosen us and not us choosing you. Often we are too busy in our lives to do the choosing or notice how you interact with us. But this is your love for us when you call us out of the depths of darkness and into your great light. Where we learn to love one another as you love us. May we respond to being chosen with a heart filled with joy and be fruitful for your kingdom. Amen