““Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in

him, and he in them.” him, and he in them.” (1 Jn 3:24)(1 Jn 3:24)

When you love someone, you When you love someone, you want to stay with them want to stay with them

always. This is also God’s always. This is also God’s desire, God who is Love.desire, God who is Love.

He created us so that He created us so that we would be able to we would be able to

meet him, and we will meet him, and we will only possess the only possess the

fullness of joy when fullness of joy when we reach intimate we reach intimate

union with him, for he union with him, for he is the only one who is the only one who

can satisfy our hearts.can satisfy our hearts.

He came down from heaven to be with us and He came down from heaven to be with us and

lead us into communion with him.lead us into communion with him.

John, in his John, in his letter, speaks letter, speaks

about remaining about remaining or dwelling or dwelling within each within each

other, God in us other, God in us and we in him, and we in him,

reminding us of reminding us of that compelling that compelling appeal of Jesus appeal of Jesus

at the last at the last supper, “Remain supper, “Remain in me, as I remain in me, as I remain

in you.”in you.”

And with the parable of And with the parable of the vine and the the vine and the branches, Christ branches, Christ

explained how strong and explained how strong and vital is the link that unites vital is the link that unites

us to him.us to him.

But how can we reach union with God?But how can we reach union with God? John does not hesitate: we just have to observe his John does not hesitate: we just have to observe his

commandments:commandments:

““Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in

him, and he in them.”him, and he in them.”

Are there many commandments

that must be followed in order to reach this unity?

No, because Jesus has condensed them

all into one.

Just before stating Just before stating the Word of Life that the Word of Life that has been chosen for has been chosen for

this month, John this month, John reminds us, “And his reminds us, “And his

commandment is commandment is this: we should this: we should

believe in the name believe in the name of his Son, Jesus of his Son, Jesus

Christ, and love one Christ, and love one another just as he another just as he commanded us.”commanded us.”

Believing in Jesus and loving one another as he Believing in Jesus and loving one another as he loved us: these are the only precepts.loved us: these are the only precepts.

If human existence finds its fulfillment in God’s living If human existence finds its fulfillment in God’s living among us, there is only one way to be fully ourselves: among us, there is only one way to be fully ourselves:

by loving!by loving!

John is so convinced of this that he keeps repeating it John is so convinced of this that he keeps repeating it throughout the letter: “whoever remains in love remains in throughout the letter: “whoever remains in love remains in

God, and God in him”; “if we love one another, God remains God, and God in him”; “if we love one another, God remains in us.”in us.”

Tradition holds that Tradition holds that when John was very when John was very

old, he was asked old, he was asked about the Lord’s about the Lord’s teachings and he teachings and he

would always repeat would always repeat the words of the the words of the

new commandment. new commandment. If they asked him If they asked him

why he didn’t speak why he didn’t speak about anything else, about anything else,

he would answer, he would answer, “Because it is the “Because it is the commandment of commandment of

the Lord! If we put it the Lord! If we put it into practice, that is into practice, that is

enough.”enough.”

That’s how it is with every Word of Life: without fail they all That’s how it is with every Word of Life: without fail they all lead us to love. It can’t be otherwise because God is Love, lead us to love. It can’t be otherwise because God is Love, and each of his words contains love, expresses love and, if and each of his words contains love, expresses love and, if

put into practice, it transforms us into love.put into practice, it transforms us into love.

““Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in

him, and he in them.”him, and he in them.”

This month’s Word This month’s Word of Life invites us to of Life invites us to

believe in Jesus and believe in Jesus and adhere with all our adhere with all our being to his person being to his person

and teachings. It and teachings. It asks us to believe asks us to believe

that he is the love of that he is the love of God—as John God—as John

teaches us again in teaches us again in this letter—and that this letter—and that out of love he gave out of love he gave

his life for us.his life for us.

It invites us to It invites us to believe even when believe even when he seems far away, he seems far away, when we don’t feel when we don’t feel his presence, when his presence, when difficulties arise or difficulties arise or suffering comes... suffering comes...

Strengthened by this Strengthened by this faith, we’ll know how faith, we’ll know how

to live by his to live by his example and obey example and obey his commandment his commandment

to love each other as to love each other as he has loved us.he has loved us.

We’ll know how to love even when someone no longer We’ll know how to love even when someone no longer seems lovable, even when we have the impression that seems lovable, even when we have the impression that

our love is inadequate, useless, and not returned.our love is inadequate, useless, and not returned.

By loving this By loving this way, we’ll way, we’ll

revive all our revive all our relationships, relationships, making them making them

ever more ever more sincere, ever sincere, ever deeper, and deeper, and

our unity will our unity will attract God’s attract God’s

presence presence among us.among us.

““Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in him, and he in them.”him, and he in them.”

““We were really in love, my husband and I. Everything was fine We were really in love, my husband and I. Everything was fine during the first years of our marriage. This last year, however, he during the first years of our marriage. This last year, however, he

has been very tired and stressed out. Here in Japan, work has been very tired and stressed out. Here in Japan, work responsibilities weigh down on a man’s shoulders like a ton of responsibilities weigh down on a man’s shoulders like a ton of

bricks.bricks.

After coming home from work one evening, he sat down at the table for supper. I was about to sit down next to him when he shouted at me to

go away, ‘You don’t have the right to eat because you don’t work!’

That whole night I cried and thought about That whole night I cried and thought about leaving him and separating. The next day leaving him and separating. The next day thousands of thoughts continued to nag at thousands of thoughts continued to nag at me: ‘I made a mistake in marrying him. I me: ‘I made a mistake in marrying him. I

can’t live with him anymore.’can’t live with him anymore.’’

In the afternoon I spoke with my friends, those with whom I share In the afternoon I spoke with my friends, those with whom I share the desire to live an authentic Christian life. They listened to me the desire to live an authentic Christian life. They listened to me

with much love. From this communion with them I found the with much love. From this communion with them I found the strength and the courage I needed to start over again.strength and the courage I needed to start over again.

Then I went Then I went home to home to

prepare my prepare my husband’s husband’s

supper once supper once again.again.

As the hour of his return from work drew closer, however, my fear As the hour of his return from work drew closer, however, my fear returned and grew stronger. ‘How is he going to react tonight?’ But returned and grew stronger. ‘How is he going to react tonight?’ But

a voice inside of me was saying, ‘Don’t give up. Welcome this a voice inside of me was saying, ‘Don’t give up. Welcome this suffering. Continue to love.’suffering. Continue to love.’

Just then he appeared at the door, holding a cake he had bought Just then he appeared at the door, holding a cake he had bought for me. ‘I’m sorry for what happened yesterday,’ he said.”for me. ‘I’m sorry for what happened yesterday,’ he said.”

““Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in Those who keep [God’s] commandments remain in him, and he in them.”him, and he in them.”