Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.
“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
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.”
We must remember my friends that we were chosen by Jesus Christ.
You specifically were called out to be a follower of his. He placed his hand on your shoulder and said I want this one to come live with the Father forever. He chose us in our weakness and doubt and misguided intentions. He chose us when we were not following him to turn around and hear our name from his voice.
He chose us first. He called our name while we were yet far off.
We were joyless and he comes to give us joy.
We were troubled and he comes to give us peace.
We were alone and he came to walk beside us always.
What a wonderful God we have. To know us and see us. He sees us for who we are, and he is thrilled to say YOU I want you now and always.
Come follow me. Follow my commandments so my Spirit can be with you, and you can follow the way to joy and peace and eternal life.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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