The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today enlighten our understanding of the relationship between Law and Love in our mission as disciples of Christ.
The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the tension between Gentile Christians and Mosaic Law.
* [15:1–35] The Jerusalem “Council” marks the official rejection of the rigid view that Gentile converts were obliged to observe the Mosaic law completely. From here to the end of Acts, Paul and the Gentile mission become the focus of Luke’s writing.
* [15:7–11] Paul’s refusal to impose the Mosaic law on the Gentile Christians is supported by Peter on the ground that within his own experience God bestowed the holy Spirit upon Cornelius and his household without preconditions concerning the adoption of the Mosaic law (see Acts 10:44–47).
* [15:11] In support of Paul, Peter formulates the fundamental meaning of the gospel: that all are invited to be saved through faith in the power of Christ.
* [15:13–35] Some scholars think that this apostolic decree suggested by James, the immediate leader of the Jerusalem community, derives from another historical occasion than the meeting in question. This seems to be the case if the meeting is the same as the one related in Gal 2:1–10. According to that account, nothing was imposed upon Gentile Christians in respect to Mosaic law; whereas the decree instructs Gentile Christians of mixed communities to abstain from meats sacrificed to idols and from blood-meats, and to avoid marriage within forbidden degrees of consanguinity and affinity (Lv 18), all of which practices were especially abhorrent to Jews. Luke seems to have telescoped two originally independent incidents here: the first a Jerusalem “Council” that dealt with the question of circumcision, and the second a Jerusalem decree dealing mainly with Gentile observance of dietary laws (see Acts 21:25 where Paul seems to be learning of the decree for the first time).
* [15:14] Symeon: elsewhere in Acts he is called either Peter or Simon. The presence of the name Symeon here suggests that, in the source Luke is using for this part of the Jerusalem “Council” incident, the name may have originally referred to someone other than Peter (see Acts 13:1 where the Antiochene Symeon Niger is mentioned). As the text now stands, however, it is undoubtedly a reference to Simon Peter (Acts 15:7). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 96 praises the glories of Israel’s God.
* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33. (Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of John, presents the discourse on the union of Jesus with his disciples.
* [15:1–16:4] Discourse on the union of Jesus with his disciples. His words become a monologue and go beyond the immediate crisis of the departure of Jesus.
Kimberly Grassmeyer comments on the Gospel that here, John recounts Jesus telling his disciples, after having risen from death to fulfill the promise of the resurrection, to “Remain in my Love”.
Can you take a moment to visualize the Christ of your heart? How powerful and joyful it is to put ourselves among the disciples, to see and feel him telling us that his joy is complete because of us! Telling us that he loves us as God loves him. And then asking - in fact, commanding - us to remain in his love. I want to! I’m smiling in peace, love and joy, and my heart is full at the vision of being so beloved. I pray the same for you, also. Amen. (John, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Joy in rejoicing over us,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"And what else is Christ's joy in us except that he is pleased to rejoice over us? And what is this joy of ours that he says is to be made full, but our having fellowship with him?... His joy, therefore, in us is the grace he has bestowed on us, and that is also our joy. But he rejoiced over this joy even from eternity when he chose us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Nor can we rightly say that his joy was not full. For God's joy was never at any time imperfect. But that joy of his was not in us. For we, in whom that joy could exist, had as yet no existence. And even when our existence commenced, it began not to be in him. But in him it always was, who in the infallible truth of his own foreknowledge rejoiced that we should yet be his own. Accordingly, he had a joy over us that was already full when he rejoiced in foreknowing and foreordaining us. And there could hardly be any fear intermingling in that joy of his that might imply a possible failure in what he foreknew would be done by himself." (excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 83.1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 15:7-21 comments that, with the Spirit’s help, Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James came to realize that this gift of the Spirit was the fulfillment of God’s purposes in the Law. The Lord was reaching out to anyone who turned to him, Jew and Gentile alike!
God is still at work today “acquiring . . . a people for his name” (Acts 15:14). He is still building a Church composed of people from every nation and background and culture. And he wants you to join him in his mission. So how can you extend his gracious invitation to the people around you, especially to those who are different from you? Is it through hospitality? Intercession? Opening the path to reconciliation? The overwhelming grace of the Lord Jesus continues to flow outward, so give away the gift that you have been given! (Meditation on Acts 15:7-21, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the continuation of the Council of Jerusalem to decide the future of Gentile Christians. This echoes the belief that God would even call the Gentiles when he restored Israel. The requirements to not participate in unlawful marriage or eat the blood of animals cite additional rules. In Galatians, Paul cites requirements are different from martial fidelity and dietary prohibitions. The requirements in 1 Corinthians were written earlier than Luke’s requirements in Acts. Friar Jude comments that Paul represents what actually happened and Luke describes what happened in the meantime. We attend to the commandments to participate in the Love of Christ and share His Joy, based on the sense of living and thriving in Love.
Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces James Finley who celebrates Bernard of Clairvaux’s emphasis on love.
Bernard of Clairvaux recognized that there’s fraternal love, our love for our siblings. There’s the love of parents for their children, and the love of children for their parents. God also gives us love for our friends. But nuptial love is unique in that two people freely choose to give themselves to each other completely: to support each other, to be there for each other, and to be with each other. So, their sexual union is a physical, somatic celebration of the love in which they give and receive.
Arise my love, my fair one,
and come away.
O my dove, in the clefts of rocks,
in the covert of the cliff,
let me see your face;
let me hear your voice,
for your voice is sweet
and your face is lovely….My beloved is mine, and I am his. (Song of Songs 2:13–14, 16)
You can see why Bernard saw nuptial love, portrayed in the Song of Songs, as the supreme love. It’s like when spouses love and give themselves to each other—the infinite love of God infinitely gives God’s self to us. Nuptial mysticism is like being married to God. God wants us to be married to God in this kiss, this ultimate, sovereign, and supreme love. (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the Wisdom of the Spirit as we contemplate action that respects the Law and delivers Love.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/15?
Grassmeyer, K. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-may-7-2026
John, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/15?9
Meditation on Acts 15:7-21. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/05/07/1559930/
Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/96?
Rohr, R. (n.d.). I Am My Beloved’s. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/i-am-my-beloveds/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Abide in My Love. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
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