May 8, 2026
Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Gospel: John 15:9-11

Today is Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter. The passage from the Gospel of Saint John continues to present Jesus’ farewell discourse to His disciples before His Passion. In this Gospel passage, Jesus continues to expound upon His commandment of love.

What kind of love does Jesus speak of? It is a love that holds nothing back, a love that stops at no cost. As He Himself says: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13) Yet, how many of us would actually lay down our lives for our friends? In our eyes, sacrificing our life for a friend seems like an impulsive and irrational act. However, the love Jesus speaks of is a total, complete love. For the sake of loving His disciples and loving us, He willingly allowed Himself to be nailed to the Cross, enduring its bitter torment, so that the infinitely merciful Heavenly Father, through all that He accomplished, might forgive the sins we have committed and restore us to our identity as sons and daughters of God.

The love Jesus speaks of is an initiative love, not a passive one. As He says: It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last. (cf. John 15:16) Even before we knew Him, He had already chosen us. Jesus is soon to be taken up and seated at the right hand of the Father, yet He remains present in our midst; He is always with us. If we experience love in our lives: such as the nurturing love of our parents, the instructive love of our teachers, the supportive love of our superiors, or the pastoral care of our priests—we can see in these the very love of Jesus for us.

Through the grace of Baptism and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we are no longer called children of the devil or children of darkness. Our Lord Jesus Christ, rich in mercy, vanquished death for us by the Precious Blood He shed out of love for us, stripping the devil of his dominion over us so that he can no longer master us. Therefore, let us live within the love of Christ, manifesting Jesus’ love for us through the actions of our daily lives. In this way, we become true disciples of Jesus Christ, and the prayers we offer to God will grow ever more sincere. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us will surely, in response to our faith, bestow upon us every grace we need.

Grant us, Lord, we pray,
that, being rightly conformed to the paschal mysteries,
what we celebrate in joy
may protect and save us with perpetual power.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever

©Totus Tuus 2026
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica