Daily Gospel Reflection for May 7, 2026

Explore how remaining close to Jesus brings complete joy, as illustrated through a joyful family moment amid challenging times. Find peace in faith and surrender.

Today's Gospel: John 15:9-11

There’s a photograph in my dining room that could be labeled “complete joy.” It was taken in the middle of the COVID pandemic, when my then 3- and 6-year-olds had been trapped inside by a stretch of miserable weather. I had pulled out the rain gear and spontaneously announced, “We are going outside!” The image captures two kiddos, soaking wet, arms extended with happy screams on their faces, jumping in a huge puddle. Nothing else mattered--not how we’d get clean, not how we’d entertain ourselves through the rest of the dreary days, and not whether or not the neighbors thought we had completely lost our minds.

That’s what God wants for us in this Gospel passage: free, present, exuberant joy. How do we get there? Simple: “Remain in me.” In the same way we raise our children, Jesus needs us to stay close to Him, follow His cues, and imitate His behavior. He leads, we learn, and then we live in the joy of Christ. Jesus’s instructions are crystal clear. In a spirit of love, follow God and His commandments. This and only this will lead to your complete, full, and free joy. The only one who can get in the way is ourselves. Being a parent who is responsible for organizing and protecting can make surrendering to Jesus a bit harder than it was during our younger days. We can make things complicated. We want the step-by-step guide. We second-guess happiness. The internet can tell us there are 10,000 habits, routines, and opportunities we must provide for our families to be healthy and happy and we should never be satisfied.

Rather than a list of rules, God gives us a person: Jesus. Remain in Him. The only metric for success? “Your joy will be complete.”

Ponder:

What anxiety or expectation do you need to surrender to God to "remain in Him" this day?

Pray:

Good and gracious Father, we thank You for Your presence and closeness as we journey through life. Guide us to trust where You lead us, so that our hearts remain grateful and satisfied with the joy that only You can provide. 

Pray Together:

Share with one another a family memory where your joy was complete.

Copyright 2026 Megan Cottam