GOD IS LOVE
God is love is the greatest single statement about God in the whole Bible. There is no doubt that love is the essence of the Christian faith and life. For God is love, we are called to live in love as Christians. This life of love is not how we love, but how Jesus loves us. Our love is imperfect and erroneous but God´s love is perfect.
Therefore, on this sixth Sunday of Easter, we celebrate and reflect on the implication of the resurrection of Christ on the Christian faith and life. In other words, the resurrection of Christ makes all Christians instruments of perpetuating God´s love in their Christian faith and practice.
On the early Sundays of Easter, our reflections are on the mystery of the resurrection. The difficulties of the disciples as well as Christians today believe in the resurrection. Additionally, the Risen Christ comes to their help and ours too through the Scripture and the Sacramental celebration of the Eucharist to understand and appreciate the resurrection effect in their lives and our lives as well.
Now, at the end of the Eastertide, we reflect on the implications for the Christian community and the Christian faith and life. Our greatest challenge is not only in understanding the mystery of the resurrection as Christians but also in applying this mystery to our daily life experience as individuals, the community of families, congregations of religious bodies, and the universal church.
If Christ has truly risen then the effects of the resurrection should be seen in our personal and communal faith and life as Christians.
OUR THEME
As we draw closer to the end of the Eastertide that culminated with the feasts of Ascension and Pentecost. The readings this Sunday are all about love. We should love one another as Jesus loves us. He promised us, the Holy Spirit: the spirit of love will help us to express and understand what love means, especially from the perspective of God. God is love.
Hence, today’s Scripture passages declare the profound truth that those who believe in the Resurrected Christ are to obey his commandment of love – “Love one another as I have loved you.” this commandment is different from everything we know about love before Christ. The Shema law of Israel requires that we love our neighbour like ourselves. This love is not perfect.
Perfect love is unconditional, impartial, sacrificing, and rooted in God. For God is love and the source of true, authentic, or genuine love. Therefore, we must or should love like God’s Son demonstratively shows us and commands us to do.
THE FIRST READING: ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10:25-26, 34–35, 44–48
The chief shepherd of the early Christian community, Apostle Peter´s vision in Acts 10:9-16 ushered in the context of the first Scripture reading of this Sunday. In his vision, he was told not to declare what God had created as unclean. Thus, preparing him to open the Christian door of grace, mercy, and above all God´s love to the Gentile family of Cornelius as well as the Gentile nations.
Hence, through the action and guidance of the Holy Spirit, Peter came to a hard realization and acceptance of God´s unconditional love without partiality or favouritism. Contextually, it is important to remember that the Jews believed that other nations were quite outside the mercy, grace, and love of God. The strict Jew would have no contact with a Gentile or even with a Jew who did not observe the Law. In particular, he would never have as a guest nor ever be the guest of a man who did not observe the Law.
Therefore, when Peter accepted the invitation and hospitality of Cornelius a Roman Centurion as well as stepping into Cornelius´ house. He broke the barriers of cultural-religious division and discrimination against a people created by God.
THE SECOND READING: 1 JOHN 4:7-10
St. John reminds us in the second reading today that God is not just a God of love but that God is love itself. This Biblical truth of God is love changes everything we know before about God. This knowledge and truth radicalize our notion of God as the Judge, the King, the Law-giver, or Policeman-God who considers our bad or good deeds to punish us or reward us.
The image of God as a punisher will only raise nothing in our hearts but fear, in the face of such a God we can expect nothing but punishment. Fundamentally, for John love has its origin in God (1Jn.4:7). It is from God who is love that all love takes its source. Hence, God’s love changes this horrible picture of crude and sadistic God known to many for ages.
Furthermore, he justified the TWO GREATEST PROOFS why God´s love for us in Christ Jesus showing that the essence of God is love.
“God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” The mystery of the Incarnation when the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. God: Immanuel not only created us but also wanted to be among us perpetually. (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23) This is one of the greatest manifestations of God´s love.
“In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” The mystery of the passion and death of Jesus Christ for us on the cross. This is the peck of God´s love; dying on the cross for us and our sins. (John 3:16; John 15:13; Rom 5:8)
By implication, if we are God´s image and likeness, we must also have love as our very nature. Hence, there is no room for hatred, discrimination, or favouritism of any sort in the name of race, tribe, religion, colour, sex, orientation, ideology, culture, etc.
GOD IS LOVE MEANS THAT
(a) Love has its origin in God (1 Jn 4:7).
(b) Love has a double relationship with God. It is only by knowing and loving God
(c) It is by love that God is known, and the best demonstration of God comes, not from argument, but from a life of love.
(d) It is a love that holds nothing back (even giving His Son in sacrifice).
(e) It is an undeserved love.
(f) It explains creation: God wants to love someone who can love Him back.
(g) It explains the necessary role of free will. Unless love is a free response it is not love.
(h) It explains Providence. Since God is love, His creating act is followed by His constant care.
(i) It explains redemption. The very fact that God IS love meant that He had to seek and save that which was lost. He had to find a remedy for sin.
(j) It explains the life beyond. The fact that God IS love makes it certain that the chances and changes of life do not have the last word and that His love will readjust the balance of this life.
THIS PASSAGE ALSO TEACHES US THAT JESUS IS:
(a) The bringer of life,
(b) The restorer of the lost relationship with God,
(c) The Saviour of the world (1 Jn 4:14), and
(d) The Son of God (1 Jn 4:15).
THE GOSPEL: JOHN 15:9-17
In the gospel text of St. John today, we learn that we are chosen by Jesus Christ to abide in love or his love. There is a fundamental demand of love Jesus places on us when he affirms “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” The emphasis is that we love one another, unlike ourselves but like how he (Christ) has loved us.
Christ’s love for us is not a wordy or verbal emotional love full of nice and pleasant words or thoughts. It was a concrete lived love in action. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Hence, the most essential or critical question ourselves today is:
HOW DID CHRIST LOVE US?
Jesus’ teaching demonstrated God´s love and his nature of loving us:
He loves us unreservedly: Jn. 3:16
He loves us unconditionally: Acts. 10:34, Rom. 2:11,
He loves us sacrificially: Jn. 3:16, Jn. 10:11, Jn.10:18, Jn. 15:13
He loves us forgivingly: Lk. 23:34
He loves us understandingly: Is. 49:15
He loves us undeservingly: Rom. 5:8
He loves us generously and lavishly. 1 Jn. 4:10
He loves us extremely: Jn. 13:1,
He loves us forever. 1 Cor. 13: 8; 1 Cor. 13:13
Besides, the commandment to love one another as Christ loved us. The second key or central words of this passage of the gospel are those in which Jesus says that his disciples have not chosen him, but he has chosen them. It is important to know that living the Christian faith and life is a gift of God. It is not us who chose God, but God who chose in his love, grace, and mercy.
Ultimately, God´s love or choice makes us abide in Christ and Christ in us. It also makes us fruitful and joyful which brings our joy its fullness. It makes us friends, not servants of God granting us the most profound peace with him. It also makes God´s choicest friends bear fruits that last in the Christian faith and life.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, the lover par excellence, teaches us to know that love is not a feeling or mere expression of words, or thoughts about another person, but a choice, a will, or a concrete action to seek the good of the other person even if it means sacrificing one´s good. May your spirit of love inflame our hearts with the power of authentic love from you; the Author and Source of all love through loving our brothers and sisters. Amen!
