The Song In Their Heart

I recently heard a talk and the speaker used the following quote, “To love someone is to know the song in their heart and sing it back to them when they have forgotten.” Don’t you just love that? And isn’t that what today’s gospel resonates? Loving one another is not an option, it is a direct command from Jesus, and it is what defines us as his friend. The song in his heart is to love one another and I sing it back to him with my life. The song in people’s hearts is to be loved and I sing it back to them when they forget. Obviously, I can easily connect this mandate to my sweethearts in memory care and assisted living for they truly have forgotten their heart songs and my greatest joy and honor is to sing it back to them in so many lovely ways. It might be a bit harder to apply this command to the general population or those that make it difficult to sing their heart song back to them or those that refuse my love or those that don’t even know they need love. I used to think that loving someone meant going all in, way deep, with everything I have to give, and to just lose my entire self in the process. Jesus teaches us that meeting each person where they are at is the best way to sing their heart song and that losing yourself is not an option in that process. In memory care training I have been taught that I must enter into their world and not try to pull them into The World. This came somewhat naturally because of my experience in ministry, but with dementia patients each of their realities is so vast and so unpredictable and so very complex, that I really needed to dig my heels in to being in the present moment to be able to enter into each of their worlds. Without my precious time in the wee hours of the morning with my best friend Jesus, there would be no way for me to enter into so many different worlds all day everyday. 

Jesus enters my world each morning as the presence of peace and companionship and joy and he loves to be among all that I am and all that I am dealing with and all that I struggle with. Being present to all, he has learned my heart song and he sings it back to me when I get lost in the dark. He never loses himself, but in fact becomes more of himself when he is loving me. I become more of myself when I am loving others. Love doesn’t mean to lose who you are, but it means to gain who you are and today Jesus tells us, “I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” He tells us how to love with his life and so we must go and do the same if we are to consider ourselves his friend. Entering into people’s worlds and singing the song in their heart back to them is the most beautiful way to impart the heart of our friend, Jesus. This is the main thing and this is what each of us is called to. The fact of the matter is that we all suffer from spiritual dementia sometimes forgetting who and whose we are and/or we all qualify for assisted living status because we need each other to survive. Let’s love the way Jesus loves today by singing belovedness back to each person we encounter. And what a wonderful world it will be when each of us know what a friend we have in Jesus? It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 ACTS 15:22-31

The Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church,
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. 
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:
"The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
'It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right. Farewell.'"

And so they were sent on their journey.
Upon their arrival in Antioch
they called the assembly together and delivered the letter.
When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.

Responsorial Psalm PS 57:8-9, 10 AND 12

R. (10a) I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and chant praise.
Awake, O my soul; awake, lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn.
R. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD,
I will chant your praise among the nations.
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
R. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia JN 15:15B

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel JN 15:12-17

Jesus said to his disciples:
"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another."