Cycle C - Year I:

5 May 2013 - 6th Sunday of Easter  

(Liturgical color: White)

John 14:23-29

A life of love!
 
Our Lord Jesus gave us a new commandment:"Love one another, as I have loved you." So that by a life of love the world will know that we are his disciples.

Today Jesus challenges us to commit ourselves deeper in a life of love. He said to his disciples: "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him."

With his impending return to the Father, Jesus urges his disciples to keep his word or his teachings as a concrete expression of their love for Jesus. Because his word, Jesus explains, is not his own but is from the Father.

The phrase "keep my word" means that we remain faithful to the totality of the message of Jesus, as handed down to us through traditions and the teachings of his Church. This is a timely message today when people call themselves his followers and yet question the validity of his teachings, or interpret them according to what pleases them.

So Jesus in today's Gospel reminds us to walk in his way of love through obedience to the will of the Father, as Jesus himself has shown by his example. Because true love for God is expressed in obedience and obedience is expressed in love.

Love for Jesus simply is love in action. So that Jesus makes it clear that followers love him by serving others. It is a love characterized by mutual regard, and service, like the example of Jesus washing the disciples' feet.

In the Eucharist at Mass, let us commit our love for Jesus by keeping his word and witnessing his teachings through our Christian living. So that as Jesus himself promised, the Father and the Son will abide within us, and the Holy Spirit will make us understand Jesus' teaching, when we live a life of love.

A blessed Sunday to all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Deo Optimo Maximo!