Fifth Sunday of Easter
Today’s Gospel picks up just as Judas leaves to betray Jesus, for Satan had entered him. Jesus’ response to this betrayal is profound for he does not expose Judas but has compassion for the rest of the disciples. He tells them that this betrayal, although they do not yet know what is about to happen, will lead to his glory and thus to the glory of God. His concern here is to strengthen them for what is to come and to give them words to look back on after his passion and death. Jesus tells his disciples, his children, that he will only be with them a little longer, so he gives them a model to live by when he goes to his Father. He says, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” This new commandment of Love is what we are called to enter into as His children. Jesus doesn’t just say to love one another but explains the type of love that we should have for one another. It is the sacrificial love that he showed for us on the cross. It is a love that never wavers, even in the face of unimaginable pain and agony, for he sought the forgiveness for those who hung him upon the cross. It is a love that will wipe every tear from our eyes, and will take away all pain and death, for when to old order passes away, he will say, “Behold, I make all things new.”
This new commandment of sacrificial love is further revealed to us by how the disciples lived this love. In our first reading, we have a good example of how we are to live this commandment of love. Paul and Barnabas in their travels showed this love by proclaiming the good news, strengthening the people, enduring hardships, and entering into prayer and fasting. These actions are about entering into communion, relationship, with another person. We proclaim the Gospel because we care about those we encounter and because we want to show them this grace that is leading us into eternal joy. When times get hard, we encourage and strengthen our brothers and sisters so that they might persevere on the Way. We endure the hardships that come to us because we are strengthened by the Grace of the Holy Spirit that we encounter in prayer and fasting. These actions lead us to the love we are to have for one another, and we love because Jesus first loved us.
Reflection by Br. Placid Dale, OSB
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections