Love, faithfulness, communion

In the first sentence of today’s Gospel (John 14:23-29), our Lord tells us the foundation of the Christian life: love, faithfulness, and communion.

Whoever loves me
will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him
and make our dwelling with him.

All three are necessary and none of the three can fully exist without the others.

Love without fidelity to the word of the Lord is empty and goes astray.

Fidelity without God’s love (charity) will also be empty and can also destroy.

Neither love nor fidelity can last or bear fruit without the indwelling grace of God.

And communion with God cannot exist without love and faithfulness.

Remembering the motherly love we have received in our lives and those who gave it, may we always strive to grow in love, faithfulness, and communion by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.