"God's Beloved"

You are defined not by what you do or have,

but by being a child of God, Unconditional Love.

Realizing this love allows individuals to let go of fears and live in peace.

As God sees you: beloved beyond all measure.

It requires shifting from viewing oneself through worldly.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 15:7-21

As the discussions

 Became heated, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that from the beginning,

God chose me among you, so that non-Jews could hear the Good News from me, and believe.

God, who can read hearts, put himself on their side, by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.

He made no distinction between us and them, and cleansed their hearts through faith.

So, why do you want to put God to the test? Why do you lay on the disciples a burden that neither our ancestors nor we,

ourselves, were able to carry? We believe, indeed, that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."

 

The whole assembly kept silent as they listened to Paul and Barnabas tell of all the miraculous signs

and wonders that God had done, through them, among the non-Jews.

After they had finished, James spoke up, "Listen to me, brothers.

Symeon has just explained how God first showed his care,

by taking a people for himself from non-Jewish nations. And the words of the prophets agree with this,

for Scripture says, After this I will return and rebuild the booth of David which has fallen;

I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again. Then, the rest of humanity will look for the Lord,

and all the nations will be consecrated to my Name. So says the Lord, who does today what he decided from the beginning.

 

Because of this, I think that we should not make difficulties for those non-Jews who are turning to God.

Let us just tell them, not to eat food that is unclean from having been offered to idols;

to keep themselves from prohibited marriages; and not to eat the flesh of animals that have been strangled;

or any blood. For, from the earliest times, Moses has been taught in every place, and every Sabbath his laws are recalled."

 

Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 10

Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

John 15:9-11

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love! You will remain in my love

if you keep my commandments, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

I have told you all this, that my own joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

We are all God's beloved.

Nothing compares to the parents' love for their children, a love that children carry with them into adulthood.

As we navigate the trials and challenges of adult life, we draw strength from the memory of our parents' love.

They were the first to believe in our abilities.

This is similar to how Jesus confidently assures his disciples of the Father's love for himself and them.

As Jesus understood his mission, he knew he was the Father's beloved.

This same love gave him the strength to endure his death on the cross and inspired his capacity to give and forgive.

We can be assured of this love from our Father. As Christians, we are part of this family where Jesus is our brother,

assuring us that we are all God's beloved, no matter the circumstances.