Cycle C - Year I:  

19 May 2019: Fifth Sunday of Easter 

(Liturgical Color: White)

Readings:

First Reading:        Acts 14:21-27

Second Reading:   Revelation 21:1-5a

Gospel:  Please Read  John 13:31-33a, 34-35

The challenge to love!

Why do society enact so many laws and ordinances that only complicate the lives of people?  And the so-called "experts" in the law add to the confusion with their different interpretation of same law. So that in the end we live our lives in fear of transgressing these laws. Such fear takes away the joy of living.

Now our Lord Jesus in this Sunday's Gospel gives us a practical and simple command or law to live a good Christian life. The Gospel reading is part of Jesus' farewell discourse during the last supper with His disciples prior to His passion.

Jesus said to His disciples: "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you should also love one another." (Jn 13:34)

What is new and unique about Jesus' commandment to love one another?

Well, our Lord speaks of love that is unconditional, without limit, without qualifiers or prerequisites, and totally self-sacrificing. There is no greater proof of God's love for us than the cross of Jesus Christ. Because in the cross we witness a new way of loving, a love that is selfless, sacrificial, forgiving and compassionate beyond comprehension.

In God's kingdom, the definition of love is not "having good feeling about another person." Rather, love is serving others before I serve myself, especially serving those who do not normally get such devotion or do not even deserve to be loved.

That is why when Jesus commands us to love, He asks us to go beyond the normal love of friendship, beyond the love of family members, and beyond the love of a man and a woman.  Jesus asks us to love to the point of suffering, as He has loved us Himself.

Now, it was such kind of love that moved Mother Theresa to reach out to the poor and dying people of Calcutta. And it is this kind of love that moves parents to keep reaching out to their wayward children.

In a very real sense to love is our only mission here on earth. We came from love, we will go home to love, and in between we are called to be people who can give and receive love.

And our love for one another includes not only human beings but the entire creation, like our environment and the rest of our world. Because God entrusts us to be responsible stewards of His creation.

And so loving one another, as Jesus loves us, is our witnessing of God's love itself. And when we love others unconditionally, we love God Himself.

Christian love is the hallmark of Christianity. We see it lived in the witness of the martyrs. We see it in the example of the lives of the saints. We see it in the holy women and men who live and love daily, making small and sacrifices for others.

Finally, let us pray that we remain faithful followers of our risen Lord Jesus Christ by witnessing with our daily lives His command to love one another.  Amen.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!