Walking with Jesus: Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17

These quotes are from my Google search of “love is in the air:”

• Love is in the Air is a 2013 romance/comedy. A synopsis: “On his way back to France for the final round of a job interview, Antoine finds himself sitting right next to his ex-girlfriend Julie. With a seven-hour flight ahead to them they are going to have to speak to each other.”
• Love Is In The Air is a song by John Paul Young. The opening lines: “Love is in the air, everywhere I look around; Love is in the air, every sight and every sound …”
• Love is in the air meaning: “A blissful, love-like vibe can be sensed from the people around you or the surroundings. Example: On Valentine’s Day, love is in the air and you see happy couples all around.”

Today is Mother’s Day. My prayers are with all mothers and mothers-to-be on your special day. May is the month we honor the Blessed Mother, the model of Love. Love is the main theme in today’s readings. It is mentioned nine times both in the second reading from John and in John’s gospel. We hear God’s teaching on what love is.

It is very nice to talk about love, but love seems in short supply in our world today. Nations are divided. Political parties seem to want to bring out all the ills and wrongs of their adversaries. Families are divided by lifestyles, philosophies, political and religious beliefs and more. It seems that more want to get even than to forgive … to burn the fires of anger rather than planting seeds of growth and understanding. It certainly is not easy to live Jesus’ last words in today’s Gospel: “This I command you: love one another.” [John 15:17]

Some thoughts:

• Have I ever reflected on how God loves me?
• We cannot make God stop loving us.
• But I can refuse God’s love.
• God’s love can only touch me if I am open to it.
• What do Jesus’ words “… love one another as I have loved you” mean for me here and now?

God has touched Peter and the Centurion Cornelius in prayer: Cornelius, a pagan, invites Peter to his house. Peter, a very religious Jewish man, accepts but it is against his beliefs to associate with a gentile. Cornelius is so grateful that he drops to his knees when Peter arrives. As a Roman officer, he is the superior; in swallowing his prejudice against those his faith regards as unclean, Peter announces that both are just mortals in the sight of God. God loves everyone all the time, as evidenced that the Holy Spirit was poured out on all present.

John’s letter stresses how important it is to love each and every person with the love that Jesus showed. This gives witness to the priority of God’s love for us. If I am loved by God, how can I keep it hidden or all to myself? So many are filled with anger and hatred that result in abuse, neglect and rejection which will never result in people seeing, let alone believing, in God’s love.

In a continuation of last week's gospel about the Good Shepherd, Jesus refers to Himself as the true vine and that we should continue to be connected to Him as a link to the Father. This means that remaining in Him is to love Him, and to love Him is to obey His commandments. To love Jesus is not just to obey but to imitate Him, specifically in His sacrificial love. It is not easy to love those who are persecuting you … Jesus did and He prayed for them as well as doing the ultimate: laying down His life for every person for all time. “Love one another” is the heart of the Gospel.

Franciscan Media summarizes:

God’s love is not in response to our love. God loved us first. We can’t earn it or deserve it. He invites us to accept His love and love Him and others in return.  Love by its nature needs to be shared. St. Thomas Aquinas said, ‘Love is wanting the good of the other.’” Who do you find most difficult to love? That is the person you should lift up in prayer. Ask God to bless him or her. It is hard to hate anyone you lift up in prayer. That is the litmus test of your unconditional love.”

So I reflect on:

• In Galatians, Paul writes that those who know God possess the trademarks of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Do I embody these? Who in my life does?
• Love is not a suggestion but a command. How do I obey this command in times that are harsh and challenging?

Sacred Space 2021 for today’s gospel, John 15:9-17, states:

“Jesus tells us that we must keep ‘His’ commandments. ThInk of one of them: ‘Love your enemies,’ ‘turn the other cheek,’ ‘take up your cross every day.’

“He reminds us how He has kept His Father’s commandments, doing His will in all things. Following Jesus’ example of obedience to the will of God is foundational in the Christian life.

“Jesus chose me. He created me and He called me because He loves me. I so want to respond generously to His call. ‘Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous!’”