Gospel (Jn 15,9-11) - At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: «As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Stay in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept the commandments of my Father and remain in his love for him. I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full."

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Jesus, continuing his speech to the disciples, openly confesses the nature of his love for him: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you". Jesus does not feel diminished in saying that his love for his disciples is the fruit of a greater love, as we generally think. In fact, blinded by the need to appear original and not to depend on anyone, we are ashamed to admit that our happiness depends on the love of another greater than us. In short, everything, even love must be mine, it must start from me. It is the fault of the culture of individualism which is increasingly gaining ground and which risks crumbling every communion. Independence from others does not lead to love, on the contrary to loneliness. Jesus, however, shows that his love for his disciples comes from the Father. From this belief comes the invitation to the disciples to remain linked to him as humble men and women, just like the branches with the vine. We must realize that being alone makes our feelings dry up and our arms grow weak, to the point of becoming incapable of caring and serving anyone other than ourselves. A sign of this humility is knowing how to rejoice in the joy of those around us, as the Lord invites us to do with him.