Reflection/Homily for Sixth Sunday of Easter Year B 5th may 2024

Reflection/Homily for Sixth Sunday of Easter Year B 5th may 2024

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

Theme: God is Love.

The central message of today's readings is love. The love of God knows no boundary. Hence, our Responsorial Psalm: "The Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations." Indeed, we see in the first reading how the Lord showed his deliverance to the nations by the Holy Spirit being poured on Cornelius and his household, and they received the sacrament of Baptism in the first reading.

With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his household, St. 

Peter said, "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him" (Acts 10:34-35). Cornelius was acceptable to God because he feared God and did what was right. He was "a devout man who gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God" (Acts 10:2). His almsgiving opened for him the gates of heaven. God did so much to bring Cornelius to the Christian faith. An angel was sent to him. Peter, the head of the Church, was sent to preach to him. The Holy Spirit came upon him and his household (cf.Acts 10:44). All this God did for Cornelius because of his generosity and his righteousness.

St. John tells us in the second reading, "Let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). The evidence of our knowledge of God is to be loving as God loves us. Without love, we can never be associated with God.

Our Lord tells us in today's Gospel, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love" (John 15:9). St. John tells us in the second reading, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation of our sins" (1 John 4:10). We must respond to God's love by loving God and loving one another.

We must manifest this love in deed in imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who tells us in today's Gospel, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:12-14).

In our Lord Jesus Christ, divine love is shown. The friend dies for the foe, the pure for the impure, the Creator for the creature. Divine love plants itself on the cross, returning love for hatred and prayer for the blows.

The supreme act of love for our Lord Jesus Christ is martyrdom. So many have loved Christ Jesus to the extent of laying down their lives for him. The Church considers martyrdom as an exceptional gift and as the highest proof of love.

Few are presented with the opportunity of martyrdom. But we all must love our Lord. We must follow him along the way of the cross through trials, difficulties, and even persecutions. 

Our Lord tells us in today's Gospel, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit; and that your fruit should abide" (John 15:16). This is a reminder that our discipleship is a gift from the Lord. It is a work of grace. The spiritual fruitfulness of our lives is the result of a commission that we have received from the Lord, in whom we abide as branches in the vine. Apart from him, we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5).

Since God is Love, He has commissioned us today to become agents of love and genuine love, which entails a willingness to sacrifice ourselves for others, thereby bearing more fruits of love, unity, and peace in our families, parishes, society or wherever Divine Providence places us. It is this love of sacrificing for others that will be our evidence of keeping the Lord's commandments.

May God grant us the grace of keeping his commandments by loving as He loves us through Christ our Lord. Amen.