Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 8, 2026
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.”
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The full readings of the day from the Lectionary are available here.
When I was young, I thought I understood what “Love one another” meant. I was empathetic, prayed, cared for friends and family, and did whatever was asked of me. Beyond that, I simply went on with my daily studies and work.
Later in life, I learned of another love that is indescribable and without limits after having my own children. Love for your child is not something you have to do, but you get to do. As so many other parents would agree regarding their own children, I would do anything to protect my child. But now I realize that Jesus’ final command at the Last Supper, “Love one another as I love you,” is an even deeper kind of love. I learned what this meant from my grown children.
When our son began looking at colleges, he surprised us when he said he wanted to serve in the military. We knew no one who served. Our response: “But you could die!” His answer: “Why is my life worth more than another’s? If not me, then who?” He understood “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” After the military, he entered the seminary to serve again.
When our daughter became a youth minister, we tried to encourage her to also attend pre-law or pre-med classes since academics were easy for her. Why forgo a lucrative career for which she had the aptitude? She said, “Why do my kids deserve any less attentive a minister?” We then watched her selflessly give her time, energy, love, and gifts to the youth she joyfully served to “go out and bear fruit that will remain.” She later lost her life in an accident—we continue to learn about the impact of her selfless love.
In whatever role we choose in life, may we try to understand Jesus’s command of selfless love: “Love one another as I love you.”
Prayer
Lord Jesus, redeemer of the human race, look upon us in our weakness as we desire to consecrate our work, our life, all that we have and all that we are, to your Most Sacred Heart. In return Lord, receive all the love we will give away today. Receive all the hurts of the day and keep us from rehearsing today’s pain to others. Let us know your love today, and learn to see you in your friends, our brothers and sisters. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Peter of Tarantaise lived his vocation as a monk to the fullest.
He was born in 1102 near Vienne and joined a Cistercian monastery at the age of 20. He lived with such modesty, charity, and humility that people were moved and changed when they spent time with him. He was such a great witness of the religious life that many others followed him and joined the abbey as well. In fact, his whole family followed him and joined communities of their own—his mother, father, and siblings!
He was appointed as leader of a new monastery that was established at a crossroads in the desert mountains, and the community became known as a resting place for travelers. Peter began a hospice there for sick and poor travelers.
Soon, against his will, he was elected Archbishop of Tarentaise. He wanted to remain with the community, living a life of prayer and service, but had to be compelled to take on this leadership role. He obeyed, and found his new diocese to be in a terrible state—the clergy there were known for corruption and immorality. In a short time, Peter reformed the diocese—he established a strict rule for clergy, elevated good priests to pastoral roles, established new foundations to care for the sick and the poor, and constantly visited the people he served.
Miracles were attributed to him during this time—healings, and the multiplication of food during a famine. He became widely known as a wonder-worker, which increased his longing for the solitude he found in his life as a monk. After 13 years as archbishop, he one day suddenly vanished without a trace.
He was discovered one year later in a remote Cistercian abbey in Switzerland, where he had joined the community under an assumed name as a lay brother. He was ordered to return, and was warmly greeted when he got back to Tarentaise. He redoubled his efforts at leading the diocese, and took even greater care of the poor—twice he endangered his own life by giving away his own cloak in severe weather.
Religious and state authorities turned to Peter, a man of great peace, in moments of conflict so that he could effect reconciliation with his words and presence. He preached outspokenly and fearlessly in disputes over the papacy and between the kings of France and England, and his words were backed by miracles of healings. He died during one of his journeys for such a cause.
St. Peter of Tarentaise, you tried to run away from your duties as a bishop, but became known as a man of great peace—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Peter of Tarentaise is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed March 6, 2025.