Reading I
Acts 14:21-27
After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the
They appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Responsorial
Psalm
Ps 145:8-9,
10-11, 12-13
R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Rv
21:1-5a
Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away."
The One who sat on the throne said,
"Behold, I make all things new."
Gospel
Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35
When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another."
Commentary
In the First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas return to where they had faced an angry crowd that then dragged them out of town and stoned them (see similarity to Stephen’s death in Acts 7). Both men are a testament to the courage of the first Christians when faced with persecution. In each of the communities they visited they installed leaders and converted many through their teaching and example and through the establishment of a hierarchical structure that enabled the community to survive after their departure. Eventually after their long journey, they return home and report on their mission demonstrating that they were accountable to an authority.
In the Second Reading, John describes his seventh vision which focuses on salvation. The new heaven, and new earth along with the new Jerusalem implies that the old heaven and earth have been destroyed and that the sea was no more. The sea takes on a symbolic nature: in the Old Testament, the sea is in opposition to God (see Ps 74:13), and symbolizes rebellion and chaos. Thus the elimination of the sea is the same as punishment and confinement for Satan, the beast (antichrist), the false prophet and the end of death. Through this vision, John proclaims God’s victory over chaos.
Today’s Gospel brings us back to the time prior to Jesus’ passion. Once Judas the betrayer leaves, Jesus begins to give specific instruction to those that remain – his dearest friends. Judas’ leaving from the table puts into motion the all the events of the passion that are to follow. Because of the passion, Jesus will be glorified as will God the Father. Before Jesus leaves the apostles he gives them a new and essential commandment to Love one another. The commandment is new because it is rooted in the love that Christ has shown to his disciples and others. It is based on a love that gives until the ultimate consequences.
Reflection
Being catholic entails an abiding love for all people with commitment to their welfare, rights, and justice. It welcomes human diversity, is open to learn from other traditions, and lives in solidarity with all humankind as brother and sister. A catholic cherishes her or his particular culture and roots of identity while reaching for an open horizon and a global consciousness. A catholic community is radically inclusive of diverse peoples and perspectives; is free of discrimination and sectarian sentiment; and welcomes “the stranger” with outreach, especially to those most in need. With this summary of Catholicity, Dr. Thomas F. Groome brings to a close his work of Educating for Life. In a very concise manner he has been able to summarize the Catholic way of living. Unfortunately, many of us (Catholics) fall well short of this ideal. His summary has definitely struck a cord with me especially because of my intimate relationship with the Church both as institution and as Body of Christ. As an ordained minister of the Catholic Church in the rank of Deacon, I am in a unique position to see the Church from these two separate points of view and have struggled tremendously with the shortcomings from both sides.
Abiding love for all people. This was the essence of Jesus’ teaching. To have abiding love means to have a love that endures, that is unshakeable and permanent; a love that is not transient or contingent upon any one particular thing. It is to love for love’s sake; it is to love as Jesus loves. This type of love requires that love be taken to the ultimate consequences. For Jesus, the consequence was death on a cross; for us it can be a variety of things. When love is lived in this way it can only result in committing everything that is inherent of our person for the sake of another. To love to the ultimate consequence as Jesus did is to defend the rights of all especially those who are unable to defend their own rights, the marginalized, the poor and disenfranchised, the immigrant, the weak, the young, and all those who traditionally do not have a voice before others and specifically before leaders both civil and religious.
Abiding love is the key to all else. Through abiding love we can see the dignity of every human being because we can recognize in them a being that was created in the image of God; a being that has more value for God than all of the universe. Not because they are Catholic, or Christian, or Buddhist, or Islamic; not because they are sinners and we are not; not because they are black or white, or because they speak a specific language, but rather because God’s presence resides within that person. God created all and through all God can be seen and recognized.
To live as Jesus lived, this is the command that Jesus gives us today: “I give you a new commandment: love one another.” ‘With this command, Jesus underscores the very essence of the human person and its importance. God loves and values every human person. He listens intently to each man, woman, and child whether they speak truthfully or maliciously. Jesus is aware of our human condition; he knows our every pittance, ills, oppressions and faults, our destiny, and ultimately our death. Yet he takes these upon himself and gives to us understanding, healing, forgiveness and immortality, and he does so through facing his suffering and death - the ultimate consequences of love.
We too are called by our very Baptism to a life in Christ. By virtue of our Baptism we share in Christ’s very life, death, and resurrection, and Jesus’ life was one filled with controversy and hardship. We cannot deny participation in the life and death and accept only our share in the glory of the resurrection. Without the first two, the latter is unattainable. For all who are true disciples of Jesus, the resurrection will indeed come after a life united in Christ that has faced the consequences of seeking truth and justice, of eliminating and surpassing all forms of discrimination against the fundamental rights of the human person. In the end, we are called to imitate Jesus of Nazareth in spite of the consequences. It is to accept that our hour has come just as Jesus accepted his.
Biblical References
New American Bible; Brown, R. K., and Comfort, P. W. (trans.) and Douglas, J. D., (ed.) “The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament”; United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Hengel, M., “Acts and the History of Earliest Christianity”; Maddox, R., “The Purpose of Luke-Acts”; Marshall, I. H., “The Acts of the Apostles”; Wilson, S. G., “The Gentiles and the Gentile Mission in Luke-Acts”; Barclay, W., “The Revelation of John”; Mounce, R. H., “The Book of Revelation”; Barrett, C. K., “The Gospel According to John”; Brown, R. E., “The Community of the Beloved Disciple”; Schnackenburg, R., “The Gospel According to St. John”; Segovia, F. F., “Love Relationships in the Johannine Tradition”; “The Collegeville Bible Commentary”; Brown, Raymond E., S.S., “Introduction to the New Testament”; Brown, Fitzmyer, and Murphy (ed.) “The New Jerome Biblical Commentary”.
Reflection by
Deacon Lazaro J. Ulloa