It is 19 May 2019. We are celebrating the Fifth Sunday of Easter.
The readings are from Acts 14:21-27; the second reading is from
Revelations 21:1-5; and the Gospel from John 13:31-35. Life without
love is indeed a hell. Loveless life is man made for one’s own
selfish cause. We live in a society, where love is controlled,
filtered and focused on oneself with the blunger that brews hatred,
lust and notoriously sinful and selfish. We are invited today to have
something new and original from the mind of God. A brand new approach
to a life that is full of rebellion and resistance, a New Dwelling
place with God, and an upgraded new commandment of love. It is all
about how we handle and treat one another and the guiding foundational
principle is love. The vibe of love goes beyond a personal comfort
and convenience in transmitting hope of achieving the dreams and
desire of our heart. In the first reading we find the Apostles who
had a successful first missionary journey, encouraging and preparing
the church move forward during the time of dissent, resistance, and
rebellion. We need to learn to dust off hurts, pain and emotions that
are inflicted upon by those who oppose and rebel against us as we are
moving into a new mission and ministry. To be successful and fruitful
we need to boost one another with prayer and encouragement. The
evangelisation without love is impossible. The responsorial Psalm
praises, “I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.”
(Ps.145:1). In the second reading St. John presents with an
optimistic vision of the Spirit of God for the Church, a new Jerusalem
and the desire of God to dwell among us to deal with our sorrows,
suffering and is ready to wipe away all tears from our eyes.
“Everything works out in their favour for those who love God.”
(Rom.8:28). The Gospel challenges us to reach the hallmark of
discipleship in emulating and expressing the ideal love of Jesus for
us in loving others with a new commandment of love. Jesus upgraded
law of love from that of the past by pointing out His love for us must
be the criteria to love the other not the way we wish to love the
other person. The way we love one another is the visible proof of
loving God. Pope Francis’s Theology of Tenderness, teaches us, “God’s
tenderness leads us to understand that love is the meaning of life.”
We all need to pray the prayer of St. Mother Teresa: Do you need my
hands, Lord, to help the sick and the poor who are in need today?
Lord, this day I offer you my hands. Do you need my feet, Lord, to
lead me today to those who need a friend? Lord, this day I offer you
my feet. Do you need my voice, Lord, so that I can speak to all those
who need a word of love? Lord, this day I offer you my voice. Do you
need my heart, Lord, so that I can love everyone, without exception?
Lord, this day I offer you my heart. May the Lord help us loving
others to demonstrate whom we have our placed our trust in our lives.
May you have a day full of blessings. God bless you.