Reflection for Sunday – May 10, 2026

Ruth MarchettiSunday Readings Homilies

Readings: Acts 8: 5-8, 14-17; 1 Peter 3: 15-18; John 14: 15-21 
Preacher: Ruth Marchetti

“My.” It’s such a small word. John’s gospel tells us that Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t say keep the commandments, he says keep my commandments.

What’s the difference? Jesus was an observant Jew who honored the law, but he clearly had some trouble with those who would misuse the law to maintain power. When it came down to following the letter of the law or caring for the human beings the law was intended to protect, he always chose compassion. He was welcoming to the outcast and responded compassionately to those who were sick or grieving. He taught his followers to turn the other cheek, forgive 70 times 7 times, love God above all else and our neighbor as ourselves. He described the Father as one who welcomed those who cared for the poor, the downtrodden and the outcast and turned away those who ignored them. In the end, he was willing to lay down his life out of love.

Jesus lays it out for his disciples: Love means you do the hard work of keeping his commandments. We can see in the reading from Acts, that the apostles have finally gotten it. There has been a transformation that leaves them Spirit-filled. They now joyfully go to the hated Samaritans and rejoice in their conversion. They have allowed God’s love to fill them.

How appropriate that today’s readings are full of love. However imperfectly, we mothers certainly know about love. From those early nights of colic and night feedings, the needs of a child quickly take precedence over regular schedules and a good night’s sleep.

The world could use a lot more love right now. Even as we celebrate mothers, immigrant mothers are being separated from their children, nursing mothers from their infants. Mothers and their children in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza are dying from American weapons. Mothers in the U.S. are no longer able to afford food and healthcare for their families. Leaders who claim Christianity as a weapon choose which letters in the law they will preach and completely ignore Jesus’ commandments.

On this Mother’s Day we remember that five years after the horrors of the American Civil war had ended, Julia Ward Howe looked to mothers to bring an end to the system of war.

“Arise, then, women of this day!

“Arise, all women who have hearts, whether our baptism be of water or of tears!

“Say firmly: ‘We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. we, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.’

“From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own. It says: ‘Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.’” (Mother’s Day Proclamation, 1870, by Julia Ward Howe)

How little the world has learned since then. Fortunately, mothers, fathers and all people with a mother’s loving heart are standing up against these unChristian ways and supporting those who are being persecuted. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Ruth Marchetti
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