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Love is a central and recurring theme in John’s Gospel, and it has been a focus in previous episodes. Love lies at the core of Christian faith. However, I invite you to reflect on whether your image of God is one that is easy to love. Many identify as Christians out of a desire for salvation yet seeking salvation and loving God are not synonymous.

Concerns about salvation often reflect one’s understanding of God. The traditional concept of God demanding the death of His Son as a sacrificial atonement can be difficult to reconcile with the idea of a loving God. While this notion may have resonated in earlier times, many today struggle to accept that redemption is a freely given gift rather than something earned. Genuine love cannot be compelled; it must come from the heart. God desires our love, not merely our outward actions. This may explain why Jesus was able to forgive so readily-He perceived the true condition of the person’s heart.

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Jesus’ call to love is not easy, people are so afraid of being taken advantage of or they do not feel love for the person. Is Jesus calling his followers to something they cannot achieve? Are people who are loving more vulnerable to being taken advantage of? Some people act as if they have a finite amount of love to give and so don’t love easily. Rather than focussing on the challenge of loving, I want to focus on your attitudes and skills that may help you respond to Jesus’ call. I can appreciate the challenges so I would like to make suggestions to help you be a more loving person and thus closer to responding to the call to love one another.

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Jesus portrays shepherds as protectors and guides for the sheep. Likely they served as metaphors of God’s protective and guiding nature. I wonder if there is more here. Perhaps the shepherd has a role to play in our faith. We don’t see many shepherds in most western towns and cities. When I think of shepherds, I think of individuals who knew and protected their sheep. They were very interested in their welfare and wanted to see them grow into adults. It seems that the modern-day shepherds are what we call mentors today.

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This teaching on leadership must have been revolutionary to the first listeners to this teaching. Jesus addresses this in Mark 10:42-45, as Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” The people were used to the brutality of the Roman occupiers and the contempt of many of the Pharisees who dominated the people and loved to draw attention to themselves. Obviously, Jesus wants to make sure there are other models of leadership available. The leadership style that Jesus introduces is relational, respecting the dignity of the human person.

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Peace is not just an absence of conflict. Lasting peace needs justice. There are also several levels of peace. There is peace between countries, communities, families and ultimately our own internal peace. Most of us are not in a position to directly impact peace between countries but we can work for peace within our communities, our families and ultimately ourselves. Are we at peace within ourselves? What negatively impacts our personal peace. Guilt, fear, and trauma will undermine our peace. Notice what I left out. Anger. Anger itself does not destroy peace. What is anger? Healthy anger results when our healthy expectations that are not respected and/or are denied. Anger itself is not the issue but it is how we express our anger.

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This Gospel is one of the early resurrection stories. We read about Mary of Magdala going to the tomb, knowing that she would not likely be able to go into the tomb because it would be blocked by a huge stone; but she went anyway. She gets to the empty tomb and understandably believes the body has been taken away. Later she would recognize Jesus. Getting back to this story Peter, the leader and another disciple hurry to the tomb. John the youngest does not go in and he respectfully waits until Peter goes in first. They believe. Honestly, I find it strange. Just because the body is not there does not mean that it is resurrected. I suspect that Peter belief was based on what Jesus had taught him. I have often spoke about having the eyes of faith. Peter did not fully understand the significance of the resurrection, but he had enough faith and experience to recognize that Jesus had risen.

This resurrection passage describes the response to the resurrection by adults. I encourage you to see this as an opportunity to learn about what is an adult faith.

I put before you for your reflection, but I would argue that asking questions, struggling to believe is not a bad thing. Yes, we might like the surety of a child-like faith, but faith was never meant to be without struggle.

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This Gospel is an account of the last meal Jesus had with his disciples. The meal is better known as the last supper. Soon Jesus' earthly mission will be over. The disciples do not realize yet that this evening is going to take a very different turn.

I wonder what Jesus was feeling. We read that he was in agony in the garden but what was he feeling when he is having this last meal with his disciples? Did he try to tell them, to leave hints as to what were his plans? I wonder if the disciples’ sensed anything different. I suspect Jesus was probably a bit sombre. He knew he was going to have a horrible death in less than 24 hours. Did he wonder if there was another way to achieve his mission? I suspect he felt terribly alone.

This passage reminds us that although we often call upon friends and family for support in times of distress we must also recognize divine support as well. It is a reminder that we don’t have to deal with life’s struggles alone. But are we open to divine support?

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Today’s Gospel is a teaching, Gospel. Its also unusual. In most instances the person seeks out Jesus or recognizes him before asking for something. I suspect the woman in this story wanted to be anywhere else but there. She was not only embarrassed but terrified. Without Jesus’ intervention she faced a painful death. She has a brief but powerful conversation with Jesus. And that is it! We don’t know who this woman was. What’s her story or what happened to her after this experience.

What about the men who were prepared to stone her. Some of them may have known her, after all they did live in a small town. The Scribes and Pharisees were educated and well established in their community. How is it they missed being compassionate towards her and/or fail to recognize the injustices?