Fifth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 54
Lectionary: 54
After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news
to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the kingdom of God."
They appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the kingdom of God."
They appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
R. (cf. 1) I
will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2REV 21:1-5A
Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away."
The One who sat on the throne said,
"Behold, I make all things new."
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away."
The One who sat on the throne said,
"Behold, I make all things new."
AlleluiaJN 13:34
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 13:31-33A, 34-35
When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another."
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another."
Meditation: "Love
one another as I have loved you"
How
does God reveal his glory to us? During his last supper with his
disciples on the eve of his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus speaks of his glory
and the glory of his Father. What is this glory? It is the cross which Jesus
speaks of here. The cross of Jesus reveals the tremendous love and mercy of God
the Father and his beloved Son for the human race. John the Evangelist writes,
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John
3:16).
The
true nature of love
There is no greater glory and honor that one can offer than the willing sacrifice of one's life for the sake of another. This is the true nature of love - the total self-giving and free offering of one's life for the good of another. A mother who loves her child will do everything in her power to nurture, protect, and save the life of the child. A soldier devoted to his country's welfare, will endure any hardship and suffering and willingly sacrifice his own life to defend his people. God the Father showed the unfathomable depth of his love and mercy by willingly offering his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. To ransom a slave God gave his only Son. That slave is you and me and the whole human race which is bound in sin and death and separation from God.
There is no greater glory and honor that one can offer than the willing sacrifice of one's life for the sake of another. This is the true nature of love - the total self-giving and free offering of one's life for the good of another. A mother who loves her child will do everything in her power to nurture, protect, and save the life of the child. A soldier devoted to his country's welfare, will endure any hardship and suffering and willingly sacrifice his own life to defend his people. God the Father showed the unfathomable depth of his love and mercy by willingly offering his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. To ransom a slave God gave his only Son. That slave is you and me and the whole human race which is bound in sin and death and separation from God.
The
cancer of sin is healed by Christ's merciful love
Paul the Apostle tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). The Lord Jesus died for our sins to bring us abundant new life in his Spirit and to restore our nature in the true image and likeness of God. The cancer of sin shows us the ugliness of greed, hatred, and envy which destroy the very core of our being and rob us of life and love. That is why evil infects the world which God created out of his boundless love and goodness. God did not create evil and suffering, but through suffering he conquers evil with goodness, truth, and mercy and righteousness.
Paul the Apostle tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). The Lord Jesus died for our sins to bring us abundant new life in his Spirit and to restore our nature in the true image and likeness of God. The cancer of sin shows us the ugliness of greed, hatred, and envy which destroy the very core of our being and rob us of life and love. That is why evil infects the world which God created out of his boundless love and goodness. God did not create evil and suffering, but through suffering he conquers evil with goodness, truth, and mercy and righteousness.
That
is why Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment and way of love - not a
commandment that replaces the Old Covenant commandment to love one's neighbor
as oneself. This new commandment transforms the old commandment with the love
and mercy which the Lord Jesus poured out for us on the Cross of Calvary. There
death was defeated, and sin was covered with merciful love and forgiveness, and
Satan's power was crushed through Godly meekness and obedience. Jesus proved
that love is stronger than death. That is how we overcome the world and conquer
our enemies - Satan, who is the father of lies and a murderer from the
beginning, the world which stands in opposition to God, and our own sinful
pride and fear of death.
The
love of Christ conquers all
The Father has glorified his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, by raising him from the dead. And the Lord shares his glory with us and with all who believe in him as their Lord and Savior. Augustine of Hippo wrote, God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love. God's love is direct, personal, and wholly oriented to our good welfare and happiness. What can hold us back from loving the One who suffered and died for us and who offers us abundant joy and happiness with him forever? Nothing can separate us from that love except our own stubborn pride, envy, and self-deception. Satan rebelled out of pride and envy - he wanted to be God's rival. Adam disobeyed because he listened to Satan's lie and deceptive promise to glory apart from God. We sin because we love ourselves more than we love God and our neighbor. Only the cross can break the curse of sin and bring full restoration of body, mind, and soul.
The Father has glorified his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, by raising him from the dead. And the Lord shares his glory with us and with all who believe in him as their Lord and Savior. Augustine of Hippo wrote, God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love. God's love is direct, personal, and wholly oriented to our good welfare and happiness. What can hold us back from loving the One who suffered and died for us and who offers us abundant joy and happiness with him forever? Nothing can separate us from that love except our own stubborn pride, envy, and self-deception. Satan rebelled out of pride and envy - he wanted to be God's rival. Adam disobeyed because he listened to Satan's lie and deceptive promise to glory apart from God. We sin because we love ourselves more than we love God and our neighbor. Only the cross can break the curse of sin and bring full restoration of body, mind, and soul.
We
are called to love as Christ loves us
We were made for glory - the glory which comes from God and which lasts forever. That glory can only be obtained in the cross of Jesus Christ. And the price for that glory is the total offering of our lives for the One who loved us first and who died on the cross to save us from everlasting death and destruction. God offers us the free gift of faith which enables us to believe in his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who frees us from slavery to sin so we can live as sons and daughters of God. The distinctive mark of the followers of Jesus is love - a love not bound by fear, greed, or selfishness - but a love full of compassion, mercy, kindness, and goodness.
We were made for glory - the glory which comes from God and which lasts forever. That glory can only be obtained in the cross of Jesus Christ. And the price for that glory is the total offering of our lives for the One who loved us first and who died on the cross to save us from everlasting death and destruction. God offers us the free gift of faith which enables us to believe in his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who frees us from slavery to sin so we can live as sons and daughters of God. The distinctive mark of the followers of Jesus is love - a love not bound by fear, greed, or selfishness - but a love full of compassion, mercy, kindness, and goodness.
God's
love has been poured into our hearts
How can we love one another as Christ has loved us? Paul the Apostle tells us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). Jesus poured out his Holy Spirit on his disciples at Pentecost and he pours out his Spirit today on all who believe in him. If we yield our hearts to Jesus and submit to his will for us, then the Holy Spirit will purify all that is unloving, unkind, and unforgiving in us. The Lord wants to transform our minds so we can understand his word of truth and life which has power to set us free from ignorance, unbelief, deception, and prejudice.
How can we love one another as Christ has loved us? Paul the Apostle tells us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). Jesus poured out his Holy Spirit on his disciples at Pentecost and he pours out his Spirit today on all who believe in him. If we yield our hearts to Jesus and submit to his will for us, then the Holy Spirit will purify all that is unloving, unkind, and unforgiving in us. The Lord wants to transform our minds so we can understand his word of truth and life which has power to set us free from ignorance, unbelief, deception, and prejudice.
This
is the power that overcomes the world - the triumphant cross of Christ which
breaks the destructive forces of sin, hatred, and division. And we share in
the power of Christ's victory by embracing the cross which the Lord Jesus
sets before each one of us. What is the cross that I must take up daily in
order to follow the Lord Jesus? When my will crosses with God's will, then his
will must be done. The cross of Christ sets us free to live no longer for
ourselves but for Christ and his kingdom of peace, joy, and righteousness
(moral goodness). Our calling and privilege is to serve as Christ has served
and to love and he has loved. That is the way we share in the glory of our
heavenly Father who gave us his beloved Son who laid down his life for each one
of us.
The distinctive mark of every disciple and follower of Jesus Christ is love - a love that is ready to forgive and forget past injuries, to heal and restore rather than inflict revenge and injury. The cross of Jesus is the only way to pardon, peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Every other way will fail or fall short of the glory and victory which Jesus Christ has won for us through his death and resurrection. If we embrace his love and truth and allow his Holy Spirit to purify and transform our hearts and minds, then we will find the inner freedom, joy, and strength we need to love without measure, to forgive without limit, and to serve without reward - save that of knowing we are serving the One who wants to be united with us in an unbreakable bond of peace and joy forever.
"Lord Jesus, your love knows no bounds and surpasses everything I could desire and long for. Fill me with the fire of your love and with the joy of your Holy Spirit that I may freely serve my neighbor with loving-kindness, tenderhearted mercy, and generous care for their well-being."
The distinctive mark of every disciple and follower of Jesus Christ is love - a love that is ready to forgive and forget past injuries, to heal and restore rather than inflict revenge and injury. The cross of Jesus is the only way to pardon, peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Every other way will fail or fall short of the glory and victory which Jesus Christ has won for us through his death and resurrection. If we embrace his love and truth and allow his Holy Spirit to purify and transform our hearts and minds, then we will find the inner freedom, joy, and strength we need to love without measure, to forgive without limit, and to serve without reward - save that of knowing we are serving the One who wants to be united with us in an unbreakable bond of peace and joy forever.
"Lord Jesus, your love knows no bounds and surpasses everything I could desire and long for. Fill me with the fire of your love and with the joy of your Holy Spirit that I may freely serve my neighbor with loving-kindness, tenderhearted mercy, and generous care for their well-being."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Christ's love goes further than
anything previous, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"He
plainly indicates the novelty involved in his command here - and the extent to
which the love he enjoins here surpasses the old idea of mutual love
(Deuteronomy 6:5) - by adding the words 'Even as I have loved you, you also
should love one another.' ... The law of Moses mandated the necessity of loving
our brothers as ourselves, yet our Lord Jesus the Christ loved us far more than
he loved himself. Otherwise, he would have never descended to our humiliation
from his original exaltation in the form of God and on an equality with God the
Father, nor would he have undergone for our sakes the exceptional bitterness of
his death in the flesh, nor have submitted to beatings from the Jews, to shame,
to derision, and all his other sufferings too numerous to mention. Being rich,
he would never have become poor if he had not loved us far more than he loved
himself. It was indeed something new for love to go as far as that! Christ
commands us to love as he did, putting neither reputation, wealth or anything
else before love of our brothers and sisters. If need be, we even need to be
prepared to face death for our neighbor’s salvation as our Savior's blessed
disciples did, as well as those who followed in their footsteps. To them the
salvation of others mattered more than their own lives, and they were ready to
do anything or to suffer anything to save souls that were
perishing." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 9)
5th Sunday of Easter – Cycle C
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Acts 14:21-27
Last week we heard of Saint Paul’s experiences at Antioch in Piscidia during his first missionary journey. That visit had ended on a sour note as Paul and Barnabas were expelled. The reading ended with “the two shook the dust from their feet in protest and went on to Iconium. Their disciples knew only how to be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:51-52). Today we hear of the conclusion of this first missionary journey where Paul and Barnabas retrace their steps back through Antioch in Piscidia on their way back to Antioch in Syria where they had begun their journey.
21 After they [Paul and Barnabas] had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
These are towns from which they had been driven. Like Jesus who was driven from Nazareth (Luke 4:29-30), they return to preach again.
22 They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith,
Although beleaguered, the apostles exhort the faithful to the unflinching practice of Christianity. Recall that persecution is a reward of discipleship.
saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” 23 They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith.
Paul and Barnabas see that a structure and an institution are set up locally. The structure possibly resembles the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:30; 15:2, 5, 22; 21:18). It is significant to note that the elders are not elected by the congregation, but appointed by the traveling apostles (the bishops). These newly appointed elders have a share in the hierarchical and priestly ministry of the apostles, from whom their own ministry derives.
24 Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. 25 After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished.
Saints Paul and Barnabas return to Syrian Antioch by journeying through the cities they have visited – in reverse order. Their journey, which began around the year 45, lasted for four years.
27 And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
This figure of speech, “door of faith,” is also used by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:12. Here it signifies the access to salvation that God had given the Gentiles through the missionaries.
2nd Reading - Revelation 21:1-5a
For the past three weeks we have had as our second reading an account of John’s privileged vision of the heavenly liturgy where he has seen the eternal sacrifice being offered to God the Father by His Son, the New and Eternal High Priest and Sacrifice. We have heard also the prayers being offered by the faithful. We now go to the end of John’s account as he describes the Heavenly Jerusalem. It was Jesus’ mission to go to the earthly Jerusalem to offer His sacrifice – this shows us the path that we must follow to reach the Heavenly Jerusalem so that we can dwell with Him there forever.
21:1 Then I [John] saw
Saint John begins this, the last and lengthiest in the final series of visions, with the words “And I saw.” Although this is the seventh vision in the series, it is the eighth occurrence of the phrase “and I saw” – the number eight being associated in Hebrew numerology with the resurrection and regeneration (Hebrew males were circumcised on the eighth day, Jesus was resurrected on the eighth day).
a new heaven and a new earth.
The term used here for “new,” kainos, means newness in kind – of superior quality. The term neos would have been used to denote newness in chronology. Creation must be renewed in order to befit redeemed humanity (see Isaiah 65:17-25). Adam’s work of heavenizing the earth has been completed by Jesus.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
The “sea” is the laver outside the Holy Place in the Temple, where the Levitical priests performed ritual ablutions prior to offering sacrifice. Saint Peter describes this as the destruction of “the present heavens and earth” (2 Peter 3:7), making way for “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13). Because of the “end of the world” terminology used in this passage, many have mistakenly assumed that Saint John is speaking of the final end of the physical heavens and earth, rather than the dissolution of the Old Covenant world order, the “world” as the Jews knew it. The Temple of the New Covenant, over which Jesus presides as High Priest, is infinitely superior to the Temple of the Old Covenant, presided over by Moses (see 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:11-22; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews
3:1-6).
2 I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
It comes down from heaven therefore it is of divine origin (James 1:17). God is the architect and builder of the city (Hebrews 11:10). It is holy because it is definitively consecrated to God.
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
A symbol of the union of the faithful with their Lord. Saint John’s clear identification of the City as the Bride of Christ serves as another demonstration that the City of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, is a present as well as future reality. The “Bride” of the weekly Eucharistic wedding feast (Revelation 19:7-9) is the “beloved city” of the Kingdom of Christ (see Revelation 20:9). We are in the New Jerusalem now, as the Bible categorically tells us; “... you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven...” (Hebrews 12:22-23).
3 I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
The voice renews the old promises (see Leviticus 26:11-12; Ezekiel 37:27).
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them (as their God).
The plan from the beginning was that God would be the father, and His creation would be the child of the covenant (Genesis 17:8; Exodus 29:45). The theme we see echoed throughout the Old and New Testaments is “I will be their God and they will be my people.”
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17.
and there shall be no more death or mourning,
Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 20:13.
wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away.”
The old covenant disappears, with all those repulsive characteristics that gave it the appearance of a creation enslaved to sin.
5a The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
This is the only passage in the book of Revelation in which God Himself speaks. He declares that everything described in our reading today will be accomplished. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 43:18-21. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). The messianic times, the end times, have begun.
Gospel - John 13:31-33a, 34-35
We are all familiar with the ten commandments. We use them as part of our examination of conscience prior to receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Penance or Confession). All of Jesus’ instruction was based on the Hebrew scripture; with one notable exception – He gave us one new commandment. Even this commandment is rooted in Hebrew scripture although the root was not counted in the 613 Levitical commandments (Mark 12:29). The time of this reading is at the last supper just after Jesus has predicted His betrayal and prior to their leaving for Gethsemane, which means “oil press” – suitable since it is located on the Mount of Olives.
31 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
The glorification of the Son is that of the Father; the one is effected in the other. This glorification will happen immediately. Judas’ departure has started the event.
32 (If God is glorified in him,) God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once.
The glorification of the Son is contingent on the fact that the Son has already glorified God by fulfilling His mission (see John 17:1-5).
33a My children,
Actually, “little children” the only occurrence of this word in this gospel. Sets the tone of the departing patriarch addressing his decedents.
I will be with you only a little while longer. 34 I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This commandment is new because it is grounded not so much in the love commands of the Jewish tradition (Leviticus 19:18), but in the self-offering love (agape) of Jesus.
35 This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The living out of this commandment is to become the distinctive mark of the Christian community among outsiders (see also Luke 17:23b).
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Acts 14:21-27
Last week we heard of Saint Paul’s experiences at Antioch in Piscidia during his first missionary journey. That visit had ended on a sour note as Paul and Barnabas were expelled. The reading ended with “the two shook the dust from their feet in protest and went on to Iconium. Their disciples knew only how to be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:51-52). Today we hear of the conclusion of this first missionary journey where Paul and Barnabas retrace their steps back through Antioch in Piscidia on their way back to Antioch in Syria where they had begun their journey.
21 After they [Paul and Barnabas] had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
These are towns from which they had been driven. Like Jesus who was driven from Nazareth (Luke 4:29-30), they return to preach again.
22 They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith,
Although beleaguered, the apostles exhort the faithful to the unflinching practice of Christianity. Recall that persecution is a reward of discipleship.
saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” 23 They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith.
Paul and Barnabas see that a structure and an institution are set up locally. The structure possibly resembles the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:30; 15:2, 5, 22; 21:18). It is significant to note that the elders are not elected by the congregation, but appointed by the traveling apostles (the bishops). These newly appointed elders have a share in the hierarchical and priestly ministry of the apostles, from whom their own ministry derives.
24 Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. 25 After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished.
Saints Paul and Barnabas return to Syrian Antioch by journeying through the cities they have visited – in reverse order. Their journey, which began around the year 45, lasted for four years.
27 And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
This figure of speech, “door of faith,” is also used by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:12. Here it signifies the access to salvation that God had given the Gentiles through the missionaries.
2nd Reading - Revelation 21:1-5a
For the past three weeks we have had as our second reading an account of John’s privileged vision of the heavenly liturgy where he has seen the eternal sacrifice being offered to God the Father by His Son, the New and Eternal High Priest and Sacrifice. We have heard also the prayers being offered by the faithful. We now go to the end of John’s account as he describes the Heavenly Jerusalem. It was Jesus’ mission to go to the earthly Jerusalem to offer His sacrifice – this shows us the path that we must follow to reach the Heavenly Jerusalem so that we can dwell with Him there forever.
21:1 Then I [John] saw
Saint John begins this, the last and lengthiest in the final series of visions, with the words “And I saw.” Although this is the seventh vision in the series, it is the eighth occurrence of the phrase “and I saw” – the number eight being associated in Hebrew numerology with the resurrection and regeneration (Hebrew males were circumcised on the eighth day, Jesus was resurrected on the eighth day).
a new heaven and a new earth.
The term used here for “new,” kainos, means newness in kind – of superior quality. The term neos would have been used to denote newness in chronology. Creation must be renewed in order to befit redeemed humanity (see Isaiah 65:17-25). Adam’s work of heavenizing the earth has been completed by Jesus.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
The “sea” is the laver outside the Holy Place in the Temple, where the Levitical priests performed ritual ablutions prior to offering sacrifice. Saint Peter describes this as the destruction of “the present heavens and earth” (2 Peter 3:7), making way for “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13). Because of the “end of the world” terminology used in this passage, many have mistakenly assumed that Saint John is speaking of the final end of the physical heavens and earth, rather than the dissolution of the Old Covenant world order, the “world” as the Jews knew it. The Temple of the New Covenant, over which Jesus presides as High Priest, is infinitely superior to the Temple of the Old Covenant, presided over by Moses (see 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:11-22; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews
3:1-6).
2 I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
It comes down from heaven therefore it is of divine origin (James 1:17). God is the architect and builder of the city (Hebrews 11:10). It is holy because it is definitively consecrated to God.
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
A symbol of the union of the faithful with their Lord. Saint John’s clear identification of the City as the Bride of Christ serves as another demonstration that the City of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, is a present as well as future reality. The “Bride” of the weekly Eucharistic wedding feast (Revelation 19:7-9) is the “beloved city” of the Kingdom of Christ (see Revelation 20:9). We are in the New Jerusalem now, as the Bible categorically tells us; “... you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven...” (Hebrews 12:22-23).
3 I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
The voice renews the old promises (see Leviticus 26:11-12; Ezekiel 37:27).
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them (as their God).
The plan from the beginning was that God would be the father, and His creation would be the child of the covenant (Genesis 17:8; Exodus 29:45). The theme we see echoed throughout the Old and New Testaments is “I will be their God and they will be my people.”
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17.
and there shall be no more death or mourning,
Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 20:13.
wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away.”
The old covenant disappears, with all those repulsive characteristics that gave it the appearance of a creation enslaved to sin.
5a The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
This is the only passage in the book of Revelation in which God Himself speaks. He declares that everything described in our reading today will be accomplished. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 43:18-21. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). The messianic times, the end times, have begun.
Gospel - John 13:31-33a, 34-35
We are all familiar with the ten commandments. We use them as part of our examination of conscience prior to receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Penance or Confession). All of Jesus’ instruction was based on the Hebrew scripture; with one notable exception – He gave us one new commandment. Even this commandment is rooted in Hebrew scripture although the root was not counted in the 613 Levitical commandments (Mark 12:29). The time of this reading is at the last supper just after Jesus has predicted His betrayal and prior to their leaving for Gethsemane, which means “oil press” – suitable since it is located on the Mount of Olives.
31 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
The glorification of the Son is that of the Father; the one is effected in the other. This glorification will happen immediately. Judas’ departure has started the event.
32 (If God is glorified in him,) God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once.
The glorification of the Son is contingent on the fact that the Son has already glorified God by fulfilling His mission (see John 17:1-5).
33a My children,
Actually, “little children” the only occurrence of this word in this gospel. Sets the tone of the departing patriarch addressing his decedents.
I will be with you only a little while longer. 34 I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This commandment is new because it is grounded not so much in the love commands of the Jewish tradition (Leviticus 19:18), but in the self-offering love (agape) of Jesus.
35 This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The living out of this commandment is to become the distinctive mark of the Christian community among outsiders (see also Luke 17:23b).
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
SUNDAY, MAY 19, JOHN 13:31-33a, 34-35
(Acts 14:21-27; Psalm 145; Revelation 21:1-5a)
SUNDAY, MAY 19, JOHN 13:31-33a, 34-35
(Acts 14:21-27; Psalm 145; Revelation 21:1-5a)
KEY VERSE: "I give you a new commandment: love one another" (v.34).
TO KNOW: During the Passover meal, the last supper Jesus shared with his disciples, he made a solemn declaration that one of his own disciples would betray him. After Judas left the Upper Room to betray the Lord, Jesus began his final discourse to his disciples. As he stood on the threshold of his passion and death, Jesus prepared his eleven remaining disciples for the work that he would hand over to them when he was raised by God in glory. On Mount Sinai, God gave Moses a set of commandments that would form Israel as the people of God (Ex 20:1-17). Now Jesus gave his followers a "new commandment"—to love one another in the same way that he had loved them. This meant that his followers must be willing to lay down their lives for others as he did. By their love and devotion to one another, the world would recognize that they were Jesus' disciples.
TO LOVE: Do I try to love others in the way that Jesus does?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, help me to understand what it means to be your disciple.
Sunday 19 May 2019
5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER.
Acts 14:21-27. Psalm 144(145):8-13. Apocalypse 21:1-5. John 13:31-35.
I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God – Psalm
144(145):8‑13.
‘I give you a new commandment – love one another.’
Jesus speaks as one already glorified because the events
relating to his glorification have already begun. As Jesus prepared the
disciples for his approaching departure, he emphasised the commandment to love.
There will be a temporary separation in his death, but in their love for one
another the disciples will still be able to experience Jesus in their midst.
Moreover, they are to love as Jesus loves, not selectively, but
with a love that extends to all people. This kind of love will be a sign that
they are truly his disciples and that he is still living in them.
May we be ready to receive the abundant love Jesus gives us;
then may we let this flow out to others. Lord, help me to see how you live in
me as I seek to put your love into action.
Saint Theophilus of Corte
Saint of the Day for May 19
(October 30, 1676 – June 17, 1740)
Saint Theophilus of Corte’s Story
If we expect saints to do marvelous things continually and to
leave us many memorable quotes, we are bound to be disappointed with Saint
Theophilus. The mystery of God’s grace in a person’s life, however, has a
beauty all its own.
Theophilus was born in Corsica of rich and noble parents. As a
young man, he entered the Franciscans and soon showed his love for solitude and
prayer. After admirably completing his studies, he was ordained and assigned to
a retreat house near Subiaco. Inspired by the austere life of the Franciscans
there, he founded other such houses in Corsica and Tuscany. Over the years, he
became famous for his preaching as well as his missionary efforts.
Though he was always somewhat sickly, Theophilus generously
served the needs of God’s people in the confessional, in the sickroom, and at
the graveside. Worn out by his labors, he died on June 17, 1740. He was
canonized in 1930.
Reflection
There is a certain dynamism in all the saints that prompts them
to find ever more selfless ways of responding to God’s grace. As time went on,
Theophilus gave more and more single-hearted service to God and to God’s sons
and daughters. Honoring the saints will make no sense unless we are thus drawn
to live as generously as they did. Their holiness can never substitute for our
own.
Lectio
Divina: 5th Sunday of Easter (C)
Lectio Divina
Sunday, May 19, 2019
The new commandment:
to love our neighbor as Jesus loved us
John 13:31-35
to love our neighbor as Jesus loved us
John 13:31-35
1. LECTIO
a) Opening prayer:
Lord Jesus, help us understand the mystery of the Church as
community of love. When You gave us the new commandment of love as the charter
of the Church, You told us that it is the highest value. When You were about to
leave Your disciples, You wished to give them a memorial of the new
commandment, the new statute of the Christian community. You did not give them
a pious exhortation, but rather a new commandment of love. In this “relative
absence”, we are asked to recognize You present in our brothers and sisters. In
this Easter season, Lord Jesus, You remind us that the time of the Church is
the time of charity, the time of encounter with You through our brothers and
sisters. We know that at the end of our lives we shall be judged on love. Help
us to encounter You in each brother and sister, seizing every little occasion
of every day.
b) Reading:
When Judas had left them, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of
Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God
will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My
children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new
commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one
another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love
for one another."
c) A moment of prayerful silence:
The passage of the Gospel we are about to reflect on recalls
Jesus’ farewell words to His disciples. Such a passage should be considered a
kind of sacrament of an encounter with the person of Jesus.
2. MEDITATIO
a) Preamble to Jesus’ discourse:
Our passage is the conclusion to chapter 13 where two themes
crisscross and are taken up again and developed in chapter 14: the place where
the Lord is going; and the theme of the commandment of love. Some observations
on the context within which Jesus’ words on the new commandment occur may be
helpful for a fruitful reflection on their content.
First, v.31 says, “when he had gone”, who is gone? To understand
this we need to go to v.30 where we read that “as soon as Judas had taken the
piece of bread he went out. It was night”. Thus the one who went out was Judas.
Then, the expression, “it was night”, is characteristic of all the “farewell
discourses”, which take place at night. Jesus’ words in Jn 13:31-35 are
preceded by this immersion into the darkness of the night. What is the symbolic
meaning of this? In John, night represents the peak of nuptial intimacy (for
instance the wedding night), but also one of extreme anguish. Other meanings of
the dark night are that it represents the moment of danger par excellence, it
is the moment when the enemy weaves plans of vengeance against us. It expresses
the moment of desperation, confusion, moral and intellectual disorder. The
darkness of night is like a dead end.
In John 6, when the night storm takes place, the darkness of the
night expresses an experience of desperation and solitude as they struggle
against the dark forces that stir the sea. Again, the time marker "while
it was still dark" in John 20:1 points to the darkness which is the
absence of Jesus. Indeed, in John’s Gospel, the light of Christ cannot be found
in the sepulcher, that is why darkness reigns (20:1).
Therefore, “farewell discourses” are rightly placed within this
time framework. It is almost as if the background color of these discourses is
separation, death or the departure of Jesus and this creates a sense of
emptiness or bitter solitude. In the Church of today and for today’s humanity,
this could mean that when we desert Jesus in our lives we then experience
anguish and suffering.
When reporting Jesus’ words in 3:31-34 concerning His departure
and imminent death, John recalls his own past life with Jesus, woven with
memories that opened his eyes to the mysterious richness of the Master. Such
memories of the past are part of our own faith journey.
It is characteristic of “farewell discourses” that whatever is
transmitted in them, especially at the tragic and solemn moment of death
becomes an inalienable patrimony, a covenant to be kept faithfully. Jesus’
“farewell discourses” too synthesize whatever He had taught and done so as to
draw His disciples to follow in the direction He pointed out to them.
b) A deepening:
As we read the passage of this Sunday of Easter, we focus, first
of all, on the first word used by Jesus in His farewell discourse: “Now”. “Now
has the Son of man been glorified”. Which “now” is this? It is the moment of
the cross that coincides with His glorification. This final part of John’s
Gospel is a manifestation or revelation. Thus, Jesus’ cross is the “now” of the
greatest epiphany or manifestation of truth. In this glorification, there is no
question of any meaning that has anything to do with “honor” or “triumphalism”,
etc.
On the one hand there is Judas who goes into the night, Jesus
prepares for His glory: When he had gone, Jesus said: “Now has the Son of Man
been glorified, and in Him God has been glorified. If God has been glorified in
Him, God will in turn glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him very soon”
(v.31-32). Judas’ betrayal brings to maturity in Jesus the conviction that His
death is “glory”. The hour of death on the cross is included in God’s plan; it
is the “hour” when the glory of the Father will shine on the world through the
glory of the “Son of Man”. In Jesus, who gives His life to the Father at the
“hour” of the cross, God is glorified by revealing His divine essence and
welcoming humankind into communion with Him.
Jesus’ (the Son’s) glory consists of his extreme love for all
men and women, even to giving Himself for those who betray Him. The Son’s love
is such that He takes on Himself all those destructive and dramatic situations
that burden the life and history of humankind. Judas’ betrayal symbolizes, not
so much the action of an individual, as that of the whole of evil humanity,
unfaithful to the will of God.
However, Judas’ betrayal remains an event full of mystery. An
exegete writes, “In betraying Jesus, it is revelation that is to blame; it is
even at the service of revelation” (Simoens, According to John, 561).
In a way, Judas’ betrayal gives us the chance of knowing Jesus better; his
betrayal has allowed us to see how far Jesus loves His own. Don Primo Mazzolari
writes, “The apostles became Jesus’ friends, whether good friends or not,
generous or not, faithful or not, they still remain his friends. We cannot
betray Jesus’ friendship: Christ never betrays us, his friends, even when we do
not deserve it, even when we rebel against him, even when we deny him. In his
sight and in his heart we are always his “friends”. Judas is the Lord’s friend
even at the moment when he carries out the betrayal of his Master with a
kiss” (Discourses 147).
c) The new commandment:
Let us focus our attention on the new commandment.
In v.33 we note a change in Jesus’ farewell discourse. He no
longer uses the third person. The Master now addresses “you”. This “you” is in
the plural and he uses a Greek word that is full of tenderness “children”
(teknía). In using this word and by His tone of voice and openness of heart,
Jesus concretely conveys to His disciples the immensity of the tenderness He
holds for them.
What is also interesting is another point that we find in v.34:
“that you love one another as I have loved you”. The Greek word Kathòs “as” is
not meant for comparison: love one another as I have loved you. Its meaning may
be consecutive rather than causal: “Because I have loved you, so also love one
another.”
There are those who, like Fr. Lagrange, see in this commandment
an eschatological meaning: during His relative absence and while waiting for
His second coming, Jesus wants us to love and serve Him in the person of His
brothers and sisters. The new commandment is the only commandment. If there is
no love, there is nothing. Magrassi writes, “Away with labels and
classifications: every brother is the sacrament of Christ. Let us examine our
daily life: can we live with our brother from morning till night and not accept
and love him? The great work in this case is ecstasy in its etymological sense,
that is, to go out of myself so as to be neighbor to the one who needs me, beginning
with those nearest to me and with the most humble matters of every day life”
(Living the church, 113).
d) For our reflection:
- Is our love for our brothers and sisters directly proportional
to our love for Christ?
- Do I see the Lord present in the person of my brother and sister?
- Do I use the daily little occasions to do good to others?
- Let us examine our daily life: can I live with my brothers and sisters from morning till night and yet not accept and love them?
- Does love give meaning to the whole of my life?
- What can I do to show my gratitude to the Lord who became servant for me and consecrated His whole life for my good? Jesus replies, “Serve Me in brothers and sisters: this is the most authentic way of showing your practical love for Me.”
- Do I see the Lord present in the person of my brother and sister?
- Do I use the daily little occasions to do good to others?
- Let us examine our daily life: can I live with my brothers and sisters from morning till night and yet not accept and love them?
- Does love give meaning to the whole of my life?
- What can I do to show my gratitude to the Lord who became servant for me and consecrated His whole life for my good? Jesus replies, “Serve Me in brothers and sisters: this is the most authentic way of showing your practical love for Me.”
3. ORATIO
a) Psalm 23:1-6:
This psalm presents an image of the church journeying
accompanied by the goodness and faithfulness of God, until it finally reaches
the house of the Father. In this journey she is guided by love that gives it
direction: your goodness and your faithfulness pursue me.
Yahweh is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows He lets me lie.
By tranquil streams He leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits His name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger,
for You are at my side.
Your staff and Your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh
for all time to come.
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows He lets me lie.
By tranquil streams He leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits His name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger,
for You are at my side.
Your staff and Your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh
for all time to come.
b) Praying with the Fathers of the Church:
I love You for Yourself, I love You for Your gifts,
I love You for love of You
And I love You in such a way,
That if ever Augustine were God
And God Augustine,
I would want to come back and be who I am, Augustine,
That I may make of You who You are,
Because only You are worthy of being who You are.
Lord, You see,
My tongue raves,
I cannot express myself,
But my heart does not rave.
You know what I experience
And what I cannot express.
I love You, my God,
And my heart is too limited for so much love,
And my strength fails before so much love,
And my being is too small for so much love.
I come out of my smallness
And immerse my whole being in You,
I transform and lose myself.
Source of my being,
Source of my every good:
My love and my God.
(St. Augustine: Confessions)
I love You for love of You
And I love You in such a way,
That if ever Augustine were God
And God Augustine,
I would want to come back and be who I am, Augustine,
That I may make of You who You are,
Because only You are worthy of being who You are.
Lord, You see,
My tongue raves,
I cannot express myself,
But my heart does not rave.
You know what I experience
And what I cannot express.
I love You, my God,
And my heart is too limited for so much love,
And my strength fails before so much love,
And my being is too small for so much love.
I come out of my smallness
And immerse my whole being in You,
I transform and lose myself.
Source of my being,
Source of my every good:
My love and my God.
(St. Augustine: Confessions)
c) Closing prayer:
Blessed Teresa Scrilli, seized by an ardent desire to respond to
the love of Jesus, expressed herself thus:
I love You,
O my God,
In Your gifts;
I love You in my nothingness,
And even in this I understand,
O my God,
In Your gifts;
I love You in my nothingness,
And even in this I understand,
Your infinite wisdom;
I love You in the many varied or extraordinary events,
By which You accompanied my life…
I love You in everything,
Whether painful or peaceful;
Because I do not seek,
Nor have I ever sought,
Your consolations;
Only You, the God of consolations.
That is why I never gloried
Nor delighted in
That which You made me experience entirely gratuitously in Your Divine love,
Nor did I distress and upset myself,
When left arid and small.
(Autobiography, 62)
I love You in the many varied or extraordinary events,
By which You accompanied my life…
I love You in everything,
Whether painful or peaceful;
Because I do not seek,
Nor have I ever sought,
Your consolations;
Only You, the God of consolations.
That is why I never gloried
Nor delighted in
That which You made me experience entirely gratuitously in Your Divine love,
Nor did I distress and upset myself,
When left arid and small.
(Autobiography, 62)
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