Acts 15:7-21 / John 15:9-11
Meetings and discussions can consume a lot of time.
But what can often make meetings and discussions really boring and frustrating is that after all that is said, there are either no decisions or action-plan, or that the outcome is rather ambiguous.
The 1st reading recorded the discussion in the early Church regarding the Gentile Christians taking up a long time.
In the end, Peter stood up to speak.
What he said was not to fuel the argument further, but rather he recalled what Jesus had done for them and that they were saved by His love and grace.
Peter also recalled for them the teaching of Jesus that they were not to lay burdens on others that they themselves could not carry.
That brought about silence to the entire assembly.
It is amazing how the recollection of the love of Jesus and His teaching cleared the minds of those in the assembly.
It is certainly necessary for us to recall for ourselves the love and the teaching of Jesus.
In simple words, that is what Jesus said in the gospel: Remain in my love.
That would certainly reduce unnecessary arguments that waste so much time and energy in discussions.
But more importantly, that will also deepen our faith in the love and teaching of Jesus.