By Fr. Andrew Kelly
SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – MAY 13, 2012
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Jesus’ words from Sunday’s Gospel (John 15:9-17) are the glue that keeps individuals “Christian” and believing communities anchored in the foundational mystery of God’s love:
“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”
Jesus concretely manifested God’s unconditional love by doing a specific act: “…to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Jesus demands the same concrete actions of believers and believing communities. If absent, God’s love becomes only easily spoken words.
Maintaining organizational structures and buildings as signs of faith and love are easy. But they signify nothing if the essence of God’s activity in Jesus is never seen concretely or may not even be present.
Living Jesus’ foundational mystery of God’s unconditional love means Jesus’ cross:
“You are my friends if you do what I command you … I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for May 13-20
Sunday
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
1 Jn 4:7-10
Jn 15:9-17
Monday
Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
Jn 15:9-17
Tuesday
Acts 16:22-34
Jn 16:5-11
Wednesday
Acts 17:15, 22-18:1
Jn 16:12-15
Thursday
Acts 18:1-8
Jn 16:16-20
Friday
Acts 18:9-18
Jn 16:20-23
Saturday
Acts 18:23-28
Jn 16:23b-28
Sunday
Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26
1 Jn 4:11-16
Jn 17:11b-19
