Listen to the Word of Life (mp3)


These words are taken from Jesus’ Farewell Discourse in the Fourth Gospel (Jn 13:31 – 17:26), which he gave to his apostles after the last supper. It becomes clear that by keeping his commandments we remain in his love. These words also recall an earlier verse where Jesus tells his apostles, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments’ (Jn 14:15). Here it becomes clear that love for Jesus must be the moving force, the root for keeping his commandments.

The result is a circular motion betw

een love for Jesus and keeping his commandments. Love for Jesus urges us to live his word always more faithfully and, at the same time, living the word of Jesus makes us abide in him and therefore grow always more in love for him.

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

Abide, therefore, in his love. But what does Jesus mean by this?

Undoubtedly, he means that keeping his commandments is the sign, the proof that we are his true friends. It’s the condition for Jesus to reciprocate and assure us of his friendship. But he seems to mean something else as well: namely, that keeping his commandments builds up in us the same love that Jesus has by nature. Keeping them communicates to us the particular way of loving we see displayed in all of Jesus’ earthly life. It is a love that made Jesus one with the Father and at the same time urged him to identify with and be completely one with all his brothers and sisters, especially with the least, the weakest, the most marginalized.

Jesus’ love was a love that healed every wound of the soul and of the body, gave peace and joy to every heart, overcame every division, rebuilding fraternity and unity among all.

If we put his word into practice, Jesus will live in us and will make us too instruments of his love.

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

How then shall we live this month’s Word of Life? By keeping in mind and aiming decisively at the good it proposes: a Christian life that does not rest content with keeping the commandments in a minimal, cold and outward way, but that is full of generosity. The saints acted like this. And they are the living Word of God.

This month let’s take just one of his words, one of his commandments and try to translate it into life.

Since Jesus’ New Commandment (‘love one another as I have loved you’ (Jn 15:12)) is like the heart, the summary of all his words, let’s live it in an utterly radical way.

Chiara Lubich

First Published in May 1994

10 Comments

  • Jesus nos convida a observar!, em outras edições nos convida a viver! Mas vamos pensar neste primeira interpretação! Observar!!
    Jesus nos convida a “observar”; e após esta observação!, o que temos feito? Percebamos que nós podemos ser um sinal de observação, em pequenos gestos, através desta vivência do Evangelho no dia a dia! Devo admitir que não tenha sido um sinal e observação!, um farol que sinalize a Deus, pois tenho centrado em meus problemas! Sejamos um Farol! abraços!

  • Beautiful. His comandment, is unique and key to understanding every other gospel line.
    interpretatime on of how to live it in various circumstances remain subjective but what is important is that the internal moving force that tranlates into acts be LOVE. our love may not be pure, may not produce the result we desir in the short run, may not be understood, may be ill placed etc. do not be discouraged – keep practicing until till our love becomes perfect.
    thanks

  • Every month reading Word of Life is for me to dive into the great ocean which is full of divine mystery.Without reading Word of Life, it is nothing but letters because its meaning is too difficult for me to understand. Thanks to Chiara, whenever I read Word of Life, I can find many treasure hidden in this mystery ocean.This month I am deeply moved by these verses; Jesus’ love was a love that healed every wound of the soul,,,What a good news it is for family. We can refind peace in our family.

    • It is said that nearly all families are under the great crisis owing to different opinion and bit by bit disappearance of peace.
      But by keeping Jesus’ commandments we can build up in us the same love that Jesus has by nature. We can be brave soldier of Jesus who gives hope to the disappointed.

  • Olá,

    Há uma newsletter da Palavra de Vida que se receba por e-mail sem precisar baixar nenhum arquivo?

    Eu e um grupo de amigos gostaríamos de nos inscrevermos se houvesse.

  • it only helps us to realise how close we can stay to GOD by inndeed truly following hz commandments and serving him in truth and spirit

  • Quando eu era adolescente participava do grupo de gem 3 e adorava, recebia as palavras de vida todo mês. Gostaria de saber como faço para continuar recebendo elas novamente por correio ou via e-mail. Desde de já agradeço.
    Adriana

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *