May 15, 2022 Fifth Sunday of Easter-C

Acts 14:21-27

Psalm 145

Revelation 21:1-5

John 13:31-33, 34-35

“This is how all will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

John 13:35

Lord, we show our loyalty to our alma mater by the colors we wear to the big game. People can know our culture by the way we speak and act. In your last night among your friends you spoke of what was your highest priority for them. You urged them to stay united and to love one another. You were preparing them not only for the next 72 hours but for their mission going forward. You knew that the bond of love and your grace would sustain them in the hard times ahead. Same goes for us. People want to know what makes Christians tick. What’s so great about following you?  Simple, it’s love. It’s your greatest invention and commandment. It’s the glue that makes all the rest hold together. It’s also the most challenging standard of all. A Christian without love is not much of a Christian. So, Lord, help me be identified as your follower by the way I love and the “who” I love. Help me to love not just the lovable people but the unlovable ones. With your grace, I can be identified as your faithful follower by my love.  Amen.