Gospel Reflection May 15 – Fr. Lynch
Sunday, May 15
Fifth Sunday of Easter
John 13:31-33a, 34-35
Gospel:
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.”
Gospel Reflection:
Today’s Gospel account is rather short this week but very rich. These past few weeks during the Easter season we have been hearing God’s word from the Gospel of John. This Gospel is the most unique of the four. John’s catechesis on the Good Shepherd is a powerful reminder of who Jesus is, and what he came to do. Jesus has taught as Rabbi; He has healed as Lord and He has forgiven and reconciled as the perfect Human and Son of God. His example is meant to be imitated by all of us.
I find it interesting when we go on fact-finding searches in life to get to the bottom of something. Generally, we are given something rather vague and then we get all the details we can to figure it out. However, when we look at the Gospel today Jesus does sort of the opposite. His entire life of public ministry and the time he needed to save the World was done in 3 short years. Over that time Jesus gives us the details of who He is and what He has come to do, namely, to save us. Then in this short Gospel passage he goes from specifics to a broader general understanding of who we are in Him and what we are called to do.
He gives us the great commandment of all commandments. He says, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” This seems very generic in one sense, but upon further investigation, it is important to point out that Jesus says to Love one another as I have loved you. His example of how to Love is the most powerful example we are given on this earth. He is the answer to the world’s problems, He is the answer to our own personal issues. He does not command us to do something which He has not already shown us how to do. In fact, if we follow this new commandment, by virtue of loving others as He has, we end up with a great model to listen to and follow. With His help, He gives us the opportunity to accomplish just that. He did not come to make things more difficult in life, rather He came to help ease our burdens, to help carry our loads, to reconcile us, and to make God accessible and simple for us.
So let us allow the Lord’s example to take real shape in our lives and lead us to follow this profoundly simple but greatest of commands. St. Brigid of Kildare, pray for us!
Fr. Tim Lynch