May 8, 2026 // Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 15:12-17
Reflect on the Word //
I rushed into the grocery store. The sun had begun to rise and as I saw the colorful rays burst their glorious light over the mountain, I did not ponder their beauty, but instead I felt an increase in my urgency. We were going to be late for school if I didn’t hurry. I pushed the cart aisle by aisle, checking the time on my phone over and over. I passed by others quickly and did not notice them all that much. We made it to school on time, but when I arrived back home to pray, I noticed that I had written on the calendar a message to my children: “Love Jesus. Love others. This is the most important task.”
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you” (John 15:12). Throughout my rushed morning, the tender gaze of Jesus did not leave me. In every moment, His love was being poured out over me. The colorful rays of sunlight were a gift from Him. The precious souls I passed as I rushed through the store were a gift from Him. The food I had thrown in my cart was a gift from Him. In all of this, Jesus invited me to live out His commandment to love. In these moments of mundane life, the Heart of Christ continues to burn and thirst for souls. It is all an encounter with the Beloved. I was called to be a missionary of love. Called to love as He loves.
What does that look like in practice? It looks like reverencing Christ within the person before you and loving them because He created them. The person at the grocery store. The person in the school pick-up line. Our coworkers, our friends, our family, those who are easy to love, and those who are difficult to love. Jesus has given us the gift of calling us to love every single soul that we are blessed to meet in our everyday life. When we deeply contemplate the love of Christ and the command He has given us, it will transform us and those around us.
Relate to the Lord // How will you love Jesus today? How will you love others?
Leana Bowler is a wife and mother of eight little ones. She is a Holy Rosary enthusiast with deep devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Her love for the message of Divine Mercy led her to become a Marian Missionary of Divine Mercy. She enjoys the miracles of family life, strong coffee, and encountering others on this journey to sainthood. She was a contributing author to And Hay Became Holy and Made New: 52 Devotions for Catholic Women.
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