Why Aren’t the Rooms Full?

From the Gospel of John 13:35

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Also read:

Acts 14:21-27 

Revelation 21:1-5

Let’s settle in and lean into today’s readings with open hearts. In John’s Gospel, Jesus lays down the ultimate target: a new commandment to love one another as He loves us. It’s a bullseye that could fill every church to the rafters. So why aren’t the rooms full? Picture this: Star Trek, The Wrath of Khan. Captain Kirk, cool as ever, goads Khan, saying, You keep missing the target! Khan’s blasting away, but he can’t hit the mark. Sound familiar? Too often, we’re like Khan, firing shots at the Church-blaming it for empty pews, corruption, or hypocrisy. But, brothers, we’re missing the target! The Church preaches the Gospel, Christ’s love. The real mark? Flawed people-us, our neighbors, those caught in negativity or sin. Acts shows Paul and Barnabas rallying disciples, urging them to stay united through trials, not to snipe at each other. Revelation gives us the new Jerusalem, where Jesus makes all things new, tears wiped away. That’s the target: a world drawn to Christ’s love. But when we sling mud at the Church instead of praying for those lost in division, we scatter the flock. Jesus says, By this, everyone will know you’re my disciples-if you love one another. Love hits the mark. Griping? That’s a photon torpedo missing the Enterprise by a mile. Let’s chuckle at ourselves for a second-how often do we blast the Church when we should be praying for the guy in the mirror or the person next to us? Aha! There’s the target. Take a moment now. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one person to pray for today-someone off course, someone you’ve judged. Let’s aim our prayers at them, not the Church. That’s how we fill the rooms with Christ’s love. Amen

Let us pray  

O loving Jesus, You gave us the new commandment to love one another as You love us. Forgive us when we miss the target, blaming Your Church instead of praying for our brothers and sisters lost in division. Guide us to aim true, lifting up those caught in negativity, that we may build Your Kingdom in unity. Through the intercession of our brothers on this prayer line, all Your saints and angels, and the entire Kingdom of Christ, unite every praying heart in the universe to fill our hearts with Your grace, drawing all to Your love, making the rooms of Your Church overflow. We ask this in Your holy name. 

Amen. AMEN. AMEN!

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