5th Sunday of Easter – Year C
John 13: 31-35
This Sunday’s Readings
First Reading
Acts of the Apostles 14:21-27
Paul and Barnabas proclaim the good news in many places.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145:8-9,10-11,12-13
A song of praise to God.
Second Reading
Revelation 21:1-5a
John describes his vision of a new heaven and a new earth.
Gospel Reading
John 13:31-33a,34-35
Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment: love one another.
Background on the Gospel Reading
Today’s Gospel again comes from the Gospel of John. Like last week, today we hear words spoken by Jesus before his death and Resurrection. Jesus is teaching at the Last Supper.
John’s Gospel does not include an institution of the Eucharist narrative; instead, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet. Immediately after, Jesus predicts his betrayal by Judas. Today’s Gospel follows that prediction. It can be read as a continuing explanation of Jesus’ act of washing his disciples’ feet. It begins with the announcement that this is the moment when the Son of Man will be glorified. This theme continues throughout John’s Passion. Jesus will be glorified in his death on the cross and in his Resurrection, and the disciples will glorify Jesus in the love they show.
John’s Gospel does not present a sentimental view of love. This is a type of love that is shown in service and sacrifice. It is difficult to choose to love when faced with hatred and anger. Jesus tells the disciples that all will know that they are his disciples because of the love they show for one another. This description of the early Christian community will be repeated in the Acts of the Apostles: “See how they love one another.” 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 large sacrifices for others.
“As I have loved you so you must love one another”
Pope Francis
We have heard what Jesus told his disciples before leaving this world and returning to the Father. He told us what it means to be a Christian: “Even as I have loved you, so you must love one another” (Jn 13:34). This is the legacy that Christ bequeathed to us, the ultimate criterion for discerning whether or not we are truly his disciples. It is the commandment of love. Let us stop to consider two essential elements of this commandment: Jesus’ love for us – “as I have loved you” – and the love he asks us to show to others – “so you must love one another”.
First, the words “as I have loved you”. How did Jesus love us? To the very end, to the total gift of himself. It is striking to think that he spoke these words on that night of darkness, when the atmosphere in the Upper Room was one of deep emotion and anxiety: deep emotion, because the Master was about to bid farewell to his disciples; anxiety because he had said that one of them would betray him. We can imagine the sorrow that filled the heart of Jesus, the dark clouds that were gathering in the hearts of the apostles, and their bitterness at seeing Judas who, after receiving the morsel dipped for him by the Master, left the room to enter into the night of betrayal. Yet at the very hour of his betrayal, Jesus reaffirmed his love for his own. For amid the darkness and tempests of life, that is the most important thing of all: God loves us.
Brothers and sisters, may this message be the core of our own faith and all the ways in which we express it: “…not that we loved God but that he loved us” (1 Jn 4:10). Let us never forget this. Our abilities and our merits are not the central thing, but rather the unconditional, free and unmerited love of God. Our Christian lives begin not with doctrine and good works, but with the amazement born of realizing that we are loved, prior to any response on our part. While the world frequently tries to convince us that we are valued only for what we can produce, the Gospel reminds us of the real truth of life: we are loved. A contemporary spiritual writer put it this way: “Long before any human being saw us, we were seen by God’s loving eyes. Long before anyone heard us cry or laugh, we were heard by our God, who is all ears for us. Long before any person spoke to us in this world, we were spoken to by the voice of eternal love” (H. NOUWEN, Life of the Beloved). He loved us first; he waits for us; he keeps loving us. This is our identity: we are God’s loved ones. This is our strength: we are loved by God.
Acknowledging this truth requires a conversion in the way we often think of holiness. At times, by over-emphasizing our efforts to do good works, we have created an ideal of holiness excessively based on ourselves, our personal heroics, our capacity for renunciation, our readiness for self-sacrifice to achieve a reward. This can at times appear as an overly “pelagian” way of viewing life and holiness. We have turned holiness into an unattainable goal. We have separated it from everyday life, instead of looking for it and embracing it in our daily routines, in the dust of the streets, in the trials of real life and, in the words of Teresa of Avila to her Sisters, “among the pots and pans”. Being disciples of Jesus and advancing on the path of holiness means first and foremost letting ourselves be transfigured by the power of God’s love. Let us never forget the primacy of God over self, of the Spirit over the flesh, of grace over works. For we at times give more importance to self, flesh and works. No, the primacy is that of God over self, of the Spirit over the flesh, of grace over works.
The love that we receive from the Lord is the force that transforms our lives. It opens our hearts and enables us to love. For this reason, Jesus says – here is the second element – “as I have loved you, so must you love one another”. That word “as” is not simply an invitation to imitate Jesus’ love; it tells us that we are able to love only because he has loved us, because he pours into our hearts his own Spirit, the Spirit of holiness, love that heals and transforms. As a result, we can make decisions and perform works of love in every situation and for every brother and sister whom we meet, because we ourselves are loved and we have the power to love. As I myself am loved, so I can love others. The love I give is united to Jesus’ love for me. “As” he loved me, so I can love others. The Christian life is just that simple. Let’s not make it more complicated with so many things. It is just that simple.
In practice, what does it mean to live this love? Before giving us this commandment, Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet; then, after giving it, he gave himself up to the wood of the cross. To love means this: to serve and to give one’s life. To serve, that is, not to put our own interests first: to clear our systems of the poison of greed and competitiveness; to fight the cancer of indifference and the worm of self-referentiality; to share the charisms and gifts that God has given us. Specifically, we should ask ourselves, “What do I do for others?” That is what it means to love, to go about our daily lives in a spirit of service, with unassuming love and without seeking any recompense.
Then, to give one’s life. This is about more than simply offering something of ours to others; it is about giving them our very selves. I like to ask people who seek my counsel whether they give alms. And if they do, whether they touch the hand of the recipient or simply, antiseptically, throw down the alms. Those people usually blush and say no. And I ask whether, in giving alms, they look the person in the eye, or look the other way. They say no. Touching and looking, touching and looking at the flesh of Christ who suffers in our brothers and sisters. This is very important; it is what it means to give one’s life.
Holiness does not consist of a few heroic gestures, but of many small acts of daily love. “Are you called to the consecrated life? So many of you are here today! Then be holy by living out your commitment with joy. Are you married? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for the Church. Do you work for a living? Be holy by labouring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters, by fighting for justice for your comrades, so that they do not remain without work, so that they always receive a just wage. Are you a parent or grandparent? Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus. Tell me, are you in a position of authority? So many people in authority are here today! Then be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain” (Gaudete et Exsultate, 14). This is the path of holiness, and it is so simple! To see Jesus always in others.
To serve the Gospel and our brothers and sisters, to offer our lives without expecting anything in return, any worldly glory: this is a secret and it is our calling. (…)The path of holiness is not barred; it is universal and it starts with Baptism. Let us strive to follow it, for each of us is called to holiness, to a form of holiness all our own. Holiness is always “original”, as Blessed Carlo Cutis used to say: it is not a photocopy, but an “original”, mine, yours, all of ours. It is uniquely our own. Truly, the Lord has a plan of love for everyone. He has a dream for your life, for my life, for the life of each of us. What else can I say? Pursue that dream with joy.
San Pietro, 15 marzo 2022
GOSPEL REFLECTION
Fernando Armellini
For us, the heirs of the Greek thought, glorification is the achievement of the approval and the praise of people. It is equivalent to fame, obtained by whoever reaches a prestigious position. All desire it, crave for and fight for it and that is why we turn away from God. The Jews who “seek praise from one another, instead of seeking the glory which comes from the only God” (Jn 5:44), who “preferred the favorable opinion of people, rather than God’s approval” (Jn 12:43) cannot believe in Jesus in whom the “glory” that attracts the eyes and the attention of people is not manifested. In him, the glory of God becomes visible since its first appearance in the world: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we have seen his glory” (Jn 1:14).
God is glorified when he deploys his force and performs deeds of salvation when he shows his love for people. In the Old Testament, his glory was manifested when he freed his people from slavery. “My people will see his glory—promises the prophet—because God comes to save them” (Is 35:2,4).
In the first verses of today’s Gospel (vv. 31-32) the verb ‘glorify’ appears five times: “The Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him”; if God is glorified in him, in turn, “he will glorify him and will glorify him at once.” A redundancy, a verbosity that almost annoys; a solemnity that seems excessive and out of place in the context in which these words are spoken by Jesus. We are in the Upper Room and a few hours is missing to his capture and his death sentence.
Who does not know in advance how the events took place is inclined to think that God is about to amaze everyone with a prodigy, is going to give a demonstration of his power by humiliating his enemies.
None of this. Jesus is glorified because Judas left to reach an agreement with the high priests on how to stop the master (v. 31). Something unheard of, outrageous and incomprehensible to people happen: in Jesus who journeys towards his passion and death, who delivers himself into the hands of the executioners and is nailed to the cross, the “glory” of God is manifested.
A few days before Jesus made it clear in what consists his glory: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified … unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it will produce much fruit” (Jn 12: 23-24). The glory that awaits him is the moment when giving his life, he will reveal to the world how great God’s love for man is. This is the only glory he also promises to his disciples.
The passage continues with the presentation of the new commandment, prefaced by a surprising phrase: little children … (v. 33). The disciples are not children, but Jesus’ brothers. Why call them this way? To understand the meaning of his words, the time when they are pronounced should be kept in mind. At the Last Supper, Jesus realized that he only has a few hours of life and feels the need to dictate his will. As the children considered sacred words spoken by the father on his deathbed, so Jesus wants his disciples to imprint in their mind and heart what he is going to say.
Here is his testament: “I give you a new commandment: love one another just as I have loved you!” (v. 34). To underline the importance he will repeat it two more times before walking to the Gethsemane: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12). “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:17). He speaks like someone who wants to leave an inheritance: “I give”—he says (v. 34). We ourselves could have chosen a gift among many that he possessed, all—I think—could have asked the power to work miracles. He offered instead a new commandment.
Commandment for us is tantamount to taxation, a heavy commitment to fulfill, a weight to bear. Some believe that happiness is attained by those who are smart, who enjoy life in contravention of the “ten words” of God. Others are convinced that those who manage to keep the Ten Commandments deserve paradise while the unfaithful ones must be severely punished. This is a still widespread conviction and must be urgently corrected because it is extremely pernicious; it is a fruit of a disfigured image of God.
A simple example: If a doctor insists that his patient stops smoking, he does not do so to restrict his freedom, to deprive him of a pleasure, to test him, but because he wants his own good. Secretly, trying not to get noticed, the patient can continue to smoke only to find himself later with damaged lungs. The doctor does not punish him for this (did not hurt him, but he did it to himself). He will always try to have him recover. And God—by the way—Is a good doctor, “heals all sickness” (Ps 103:3). Giving us his commandment Jesus shows himself an unparalleled friend. He has shown us, not with words, but with the gift of life, how to realize the fullness of our existence in this world.
It is a new commandment. In what sense? Is it not already written in the Old Testament: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18)? Let us grasp where the novelty is.
Regarding what the Old Testament recommended the second part is certainly new: “as I have loved you, you also must love one another” (v. 34). The measure of love proposed to us by Jesus is not the one we use for ourselves, but what he has had for us.
It is not said that we love ourselves: we cannot stand our limits, faults, and miseries. If we make a mistake, a bad impression, a gesture of which we should be ashamed of, we even to get punish ourselves. Then the commandment is new because it is not spontaneous for people to love those who do not deserve it or cannot reciprocate. It is not normal to do good to one’s own enemies.
Jesus reveals a new love: he loved those who needed his love to be happy. He loved the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the wicked, the corrupt, his executioners because only in loving them he could get them out of their condition of meanness, misery, and sin.
It is the gratuitous and unmotivated love of which God has given proof in the Old Testament when he chose his people: “The Lord—says Moses to the Israelites—has bound himself to you and has chosen you, not because you are the most numerous among all the peoples (on the contrary you are the least) … but because of his love for you” (Dt 7:7-8). This is why John says: “I am not writing you a new commandment, but reminding you of an old one … if you love your brother you remain in the light” (1 Jn 2:7-10).
But the great novelty of this commandment is another one. It is the fact that no one before Jesus has ever attempted to build a society based on a love like his. The Christian community is set as an alternative, as a new proposal to all the old societies of the world, to those based on competition, meritocracy, money, and power. It is this love that must “glorify” the disciples of Christ.
By the mouth of Jeremiah, God announced: “The time is coming when I will forge a new covenant with the people of Israel” (Jer 31:31). The old covenant was drawn up on the basis of the Ten Commandments. The new alliance is linked to the compliance with a unique, new commandment: love to the brother, such as that Jesus was capable.
Jesus concludes his “testament” by saying: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another” (v. 35). We know that the fruits do not make the tree alive, however, they are signs that the tree is alive. Good works do not make our communities Christian, but these works give evidence that our communities are animated by the Spirit of the Risen One.
Christians are not people different from others; they do not wear badges, do not live out of the world. What distinguishes them is the logic of the gratuitous love, that of Jesus and that of the Father
Fernando Armellini
Italian missionary and biblical scholar
https://sundaycommentaries.wordpress.com
FRIENDSHIP WITHIN THE CHURCH
José A. Pagola
It’s the evening of his execution. Jesus is celebrating the last supper with his own. He has just finished washing his disciples’ feet. Judas has already made his tragic decision, and after eating the last piece of bread from Jesus’ hands, he has left to do his business. Jesus says aloud what all are feeling: «My children, I shall be with you only a little longer».
He speaks with tenderness. He wants his last actions and words to be engraved on their hearts: «I give you a new commandment: love one another; you must love one another just as I have loved you. It is by your love for one another, that everyone will recognize you as my disciples». This is Jesus’ testament.
Jesus speaks of a «new commandment». What’s so new about it? The saying about loving one’s neighbor is already present in the biblical tradition. Also many Greek philosophers speak of philanthropy and of love for all human beings. Its novelty is in the form of love that is Jesus’ own: «Love one another as I have loved you». That’s how his style of loving will be spread through his followers.
The first thing that the disciples have experienced is that Jesus has loved them as friends: «I don’t call you servants…I have called you friends». In the Church we must care for each other simply as friends. And among friends you are careful about equality, closeness and mutual support. No one is above anyone else. No friend is lord of his friends.
That’s why Jesus cuts off ambition among his disciples at the root when he sees them discussing who is number one. The seeking of self-appointed advantages breaks friendship and communion. Jesus reminds them of his style: «I haven’t come to be served but to serve». Among friends no one has to impose self. All have to be ready to serve and collaborate.
This friendship that Jesus’ followers live out doesn’t lead to a closed community. Rather, the warm and friendly atmosphere that they have among themselves leads them to welcome whoever needs welcoming and friendship. Jesus has taught them to eat with sinners and with people who are excluded and rejected. He has scolded them for keeping the children away. In Jesus’ community the little ones aren’t blocked, but the great ones are.
One day Jesus called the Twelve, put a small child in their midst, embraced her and said: «If you welcome a small child like this in my name, you welcome me». In the Church that Jesus wanted, the littlest, the most fragile and vulnerable must be the focus of everyone’s attention and care.
Brotherly love:
an explosive, contagious, missionary force
Romeo Ballan, mccj
The Gospel presents two contrasting moments that are irreconcilable humanly speaking. During the last Supper, Jesus speaks with insistence about his ‘glorification’: he mentions it five times in all (v. 31-32). Judas has just gone out of the Cenacle room entering into that tragic night (v. 30), carrying in his heart his mystery. The contrast is paradoxical: there are just a few hours left to his arrest and death on the cross, nevertheless Jesus continues to talk of glorification. His glory is the same moment of his death-resurrection, like a wheat grain that falls on the ground and dies to yield a rich harvest (see Jn 12:24.20-21). The identity card is to be wheat of grain. Strange glory that of the folly of the cross! With his death-resurrection, Jesus reveals how great is the love of God who saves all mankind.
In the light of this divine love, which is without measure, one realises the greatness of the new commandment (v. 34) which Jesus leaves to his ‘children-disciples’ as identification badge: “Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another” (v. 34-35). Jesus’ insistence on reciprocal love – he repeats it three times in two verses – has the characteristics of an important testament about a command that he, rightly, proclaims as “a new one”.
The Old Testament stated: “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” (Lev 19,18). Jesus goes beyond this:
1. First of all, his measure is no longer “as yourself”, with the uncertainties and mistakes due to selfishness, but it is “as I have loved you”, with the certainty and unlimited measure of divine love.
2. The love that Jesus recommends is new because it is wholly gratuitous: it does not look for reasons to love, it loves even one who does not deserve it or who is unable to reciprocate, it loves even one who hurts you…
3. It is a new commandment because “no one before Christ has ever tried to build a society based on a love like his. The Christian community is thus presented as an alternative, as a new proposal for all the old societies of the world, for those based on competition, merit, money and power. It is this love that must ‘glorify’ Christ’s disciples” (F. Armellini). It is a new association principle, a special aggregation force. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples…” (v. 35): reciprocal and gratuitous love has an irresistible, contagious and explosive force of missionary radiation. Reciprocal love is fostered by forgiveness, reconciliation, suffering, self-giving, refusal of violence, work for peace… (*)
Only love can inspire and weave new and vitalising relationships among people; only the love revolution can transform people and, therefore, the institutions. Raoul Follerau, ‘the apostle of lepers and wanderer of charity’: “The world has only two possible choices: to love one another or to disappear. We have chosen love. Not a love that is satisfied with whimpering about other people’s misfortunes, but a love that fights a love-rebellion. For his coming, for his kingdom, we shall fight without rest and nonstop. We must help the day to dawn”.
Those who take up this challenge accept the utopia of “a new heaven and a new earth” (II Reading), will enter “the city where God lives among men” (v. 3), where tears, death, mourning or sadness will be wiped away (v. 4), for the faith in the One who has the power to make “the whole of creation new” (v. 5). That is, also a new society that is based and has as its objective the civilisation of love. The mission of Paul and Barnaba (I Reading) also had this objective: “to open the doors of faith to the pagans” (v. 27), to encourage the disciples “to persevere in the faith” because “we have to experience many hardships before we enter the kingdom of God” (v. 22). This first and important missionary journey of Paul (Acts 13-14) is a vibrant and challenging page of missionary methodology: for the way the community of Antioch selects the missionaries to be sent, for the courage (parresía) of Paul and Barnaba in delivering the first proclamation of the Gospel of Christ to Jews and pagans, for the building up of new ecclesial communities and the designation of some presbyteries as their guide, for the new geographical frontiers of evangelisation beyond the usual territories of the Old Testament and of the Gospels, for the confrontation with the community of Antioch at their return, for the continual trust in the Lord who always accompanies his own messengers… In a word: a model of missionary praxis!
