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 est une épouse et mère de cinq petits. Elle est une passionnée du Saint Rosaire avec une profonde dévotion au Sacré-Cœur de Jésus et au Cœur Immaculé de Marie. Son amour pour le message de la Miséricorde Divine l'a amenée à devenir Missionnaire Mariale de la Miséricorde Divine. Elle aime les miracles de la vie de famille, le café fort et rencontrer les autres dans ce voyage vers la sainteté. Elle a contribué à And Hay Became Holy and Made New: 52 Devotions for Catholic Women .
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