Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C – May 18, 2025.
Readings: Acts 14:21-27; Ps 145:8-9.10-11.12-13; Rev. 21:1-5a & Gospel – John 13:31-33a.34-35.
The first reading recounts how Paul and Barnabas went round Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, encouraging the faithful to persevere in the face of persecution. In the second reading, as usual, John, in his apocalypse, sees the new heaven and new earth – the holy city, the New Jerusalem. He explains that there, God makes his home among humans as he is their God and his people, as there are no human afflictions like tears, death, sadness, or pain because he will make a new creation. The gospel reading narrates how, after Judas’s departure, Jesus told his companions that the Son of Man would be glorified. After disclosing his impending passion, he gave them a new commandment with the charge to love one another as he has loved them. Even in the face of contemporary opposition and persecution, Christians are charged to love everyone unconditionally.
Introduction
Friends in Christ, on this Sunday, our liturgy challenges us to fulfil the demands of love. Our reflection highlights five responsibilities of the Christian life, namely, following Jesus’ commandment of love, practicing prayer, readily accepting suffering for the sake of Christ, embracing the challenge to serve the community through the recognition of everyone as a disciple of Christ, and proclaiming Christ without fear or favour.
Background & Summary of the Readings
The first reading (Acts 14:21-27) recounts how Paul and Barnabas went round Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, encouraging the faithful to persevere in the face of persecution. They noted that hardship is a necessary condition for enjoying eternal life. For continuity and strengthening of the faith, they appointed elders through prayer and fasting, commending them to the Lord. Traversing through Pisidia, Pamphylia, Perga, and Attalia, they carried out their missionary mandate in love despite the troubles; they assembled the faithful and told how they opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
In the second reading (Rev. 21:15a), as usual, John, in his apocalypse, sees the new heaven and new earth, the holy city. In what he describes as trustworthy testimony, he explains that in the New Jerusalem, God would make his home among humans as he would be their God and they his people, assuring that there would be no human afflictions – tears, death, mourning, sadness, or pain because the elect would become a new creation.
The gospel reading (John 13:31-33a.34-35) narrates how, after the departure of Judas, Jesus told his companions that the Son of Man would be glorified. After revealing his impending passion, he gives them a new commandment with the charge to love one another as he has loved them, noting: “It is by your love for one another that everyone will recognize you as my disciples.” The question is, what is the connection between his death and the new commandment? This leads us to the burden of the love story.
The Burden of Love: A Narrative
The story is told of a boy who had three major challenges – He was a dwarf, had a hunchback and could not walk. Because of these disabilities, the junior brother would always carry him on his back to school. Each time they set out for school, all eyes would be on them. The pathetic side of the story was that other pupils usually boo at them.
One day, they were late to school, and the junior brother was struggling hard so they would not be late. But because his older brother was heavy, he could not keep a good pace. Other pupils who came running started jeering at them again. One of the kids said, “What a burden you are carrying.” Smiling, the young man replied: “He is not a burden, he is my brother.” This touching story strongly suggests the burden of love. Did Jesus not say, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light?” (Matthew 11:30).
Practical Lessons
1. Persevere in the Face of Persecution: The encouraging message of Paul and Barnabas to the Christian communities in Lystra, Iconium and Antioch that they should persevere in the face of persecution should serve as a boaster to contemporary Christians who are constantly taunted for their faith to bear in mind that nothing can be compared to the crown of glory that awaits us as attested to by John in the second reading.
2. Open the Door of Faith to Others: By opening the door of faith to the Gentiles, the apostles teach us how to open new vistas for others who have not yet heard the Good News based on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20.
3. Embrace Real Love: In a world where we seem enslaved by human limitations, seeing love in erotic, selfish, and possessive terms, we are reminded that only agape, God’s love exemplified by Jesus on Calvary, is real.
4. Fulfil Your Mission: We are challenged to serve our various communities through the recognition of everyone as a disciple of Christ who is charged with the responsibility of fulfilling his or her mission in life.
5. Proclaim Christ without Fear or Favour: Above all, we are reminded that standing up for Christ has its troubles, which we must embrace happily to proclaim him without fear or favour.
Summary Lines
1. The first reading recounts how Paul and Barnabas went round Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, encouraging the faithful to persevere in the face of persecution.
2. In the second reading, as usual, John, in his apocalypse, sees the new heaven and new earth – the holy city, the New Jerusalem.
3. He explains that there, God makes his home among humans as he is their God and they his people, as there are no human afflictions like tears, death, mourning, sadness, or pain because he will make a new creation.
4. The gospel reading narrates how, after the departure of Judas, Jesus told his companions that the Son of Man would be glorified.
5. After revealing his impending passion, he gave them a new commandment with the charge to love one another as he has loved them.
Conclusion
We have established that love is a burden, yet a sweet yoke. As such, the Church invites us to follow Jesus’ commandment of love, embrace prayer, accept suffering for the sake of Christ, serve the community by recognising everyone as a disciple of Christ, and proclaim him without fear or favour. This can only come about if we truly love God and our neighbour. When the cross seems heavy to bear, invite him – he makes it easy and light. May we, like the little boy in our lead story, see beyond the burden of our daily lives and embrace the values of the kingdom with love to gain eternal life. Amen. Have a fabulous week ahead!
