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As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.’ (John 15:9)
Meditations on the Love of Jesus Christ follows the life of Jesus through the Gospels, from the events preceding his birth to his Passion and Resurrection and the encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus. At its centre is the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ and the response to which that love calls us.
The book begins in Advent, with Gabriel’s appearance to Zechariah and the Annunciation to Mary. It follows Jesus through his birth and baptism, his teaching and miracles, his encounters with those who come to him, the calling of his disciples, and the journey towards Jerusalem. The Passion and death of Jesus lead into the Resurrection and the recognition of the risen Christ by his disciples.
Each meditation begins with Scripture, principally from the King James Version. The Gospel text is followed by reflection upon its meaning, its place within the wider biblical narrative, and what it reveals of Christ. The meditations return repeatedly to the relationship between the events described in the Gospels and the life of the Christian now.
Prayer forms part of that relationship. The prayers arise from the Gospel passages and from the human experiences encountered within them: fear, illness, temptation, guilt, grief, forgiveness, hope and love. Some are prayers for healing. Others ask for faith, humility, repentance, courage or a closer relationship with Christ. They share the understanding that prayer begins by bringing ourselves before God as we are.
The people who encounter Jesus in the Gospels come to him in very different circumstances. Some are sick. Some are afraid. Some have sinned. Some seek answers. Some scarcely understand whom they have encountered. Jesus teaches, forgives, heals, challenges and calls them. Their encounters with him provide the starting point for considering our own response to Christ.
Mary has a particular place within these meditations. From her response to Gabriel — ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word’ — through the life and Passion of her Son, she provides an example of faith, obedience and self-giving to God.
The Passion brings the love of Christ into its starkest expression. The suffering of Jesus is considered alongside his forgiveness of sinners and the redemption accomplished through the Cross. The Resurrection then changes the meaning of what has preceded it: death does not have the final word.
The journey ends on the road to Emmaus. Two disciples walk in sorrow without recognising that Jesus is already beside them. He opens the Scriptures to them, remains with them, and is known to them in the breaking of bread. Only afterwards do they understand: ‘Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way?’
This is also the purpose of the book: to read the Gospel, to reflect upon the words and actions of Jesus, to bring our own lives to him in prayer, and to recognise more fully the love of Christ which has been with us throughout.
Chrysologus served as bishop during a time of theological controversy and social unrest in the western Roman Empire. The Church was navigating disputes over Christ’s nature, while many believers lived in an empire in decline, marked by economic hardship and moral corruption. In this setting, Saint Peter Chrysologus preached a faith that was not abstract but deeply practical. His emphasis on prayer, fasting and mercy speaks directly to the needs of his time and of ours. Spiritual devotion should not be disconnected from realities of daily life and needs of others [ … ]
Envy and the evil of material possession are closely related because envy is often directed at the material possessions of others. When we see someone else with something that we desire, such as a nice car, a big house, or a fancy watch, we can feel envy and a sense of dissatisfaction with what we have [ … ]
Saint Augustine opens with an exhortation to elevate our hearts: ‘Let our hearts ascend with him.’ Drawing from Colossians 3:1-2, he calls Christians to turn inward and upward—to orient the whole self toward heavenly things, not earthly distractions. This is not an abstract mystical piety, but a profound participation in Christ’s own heavenly life [ … ]
