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Year - B

Homily for Sixth Sunday of Easter

READ: (Acts 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 Jn 4: 7-10; Jn 15: 9-17)

REFLECT: Abide in God’s love to love all…

Dear friends, we are in the Sixth Sunday of Easter. The liturgy of the word invites each one of us to abide in God’s love to love all without any prejudice or bias. Abiding in God’s love is an access to genuine manifestation of God’s love to everyone on earth, because the one who abides in God’s love cannot but love the other. Such is the love of God that works in us and makes us to be loving and loveable to one another. Today, we need to understand that God’s love is equal for all and he does not show partiality; God is the source and summit of Love to whom we come from and to where we go; therefore, we who are created by God are invited to abide in God’s love by being selfless and dedicated to the call of love – our love for God and our love for one another in the world. So based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection;

1. God loves all:

At times, as human person we are always haunted with cynicism and doubt on God’s love. We tend to end up thinking that God does not love us equally or justly. It is because of the experience that we have as human beings. Sometimes we look at a just man or a woman suffering terribly and an unrighteous man or woman prospering so well. This is what our human perception or understanding is, but God always loves everyone and want everyone to be saved. God never wishes to disown his own self, imprinted in each one of us, in his own image and likeness. That’s what we see in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the episode of Peter baptizing Cornelius and his household. We have the introduction about Cornelius in the Acts of the Apostles as a centurion, a devout man, God fearing person with his entire household, generous and prayerful person. We also have the vision of God’s angel to Cornelius and to Peter (Acts 10: 1-16). This is a previous passage to the first reading that we have for the liturgy of the day. The continuation of the Introduction about Cornelius is the Baptism and pouring fourth of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his household, which we have as the First reading of the day.

First of all, Peter humbles before Cornelius and acknowledges that he is just an ordinary human person, without showing that he is greater than Cornelius. That’s why Peter says, “Stand up, I too am a man.” It manifests the character of Peter in giving honor and glory that belongs to God and he was just an ordinary person like Cornelius. Secondly, Peter makes known the all inclusive love of God. God never abandons nor shows any partiality with regard to treating others and loving others. That’s why Peter says, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is acceptable to him.” Thirdly, the Holy Spirit fills with its graces and gifts on all those who heard the word. Fourthly, the Jewish people were surprised to see the Holy Spirit filling the Gentiles too. It is because that the Jewish people believed that they were the chosen one of God and that they considered themselves as most privileged people, but God makes them understand that God loves all and does not show partiality. Finally, Cornelius and his entire household were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, because of the faith that they manifested in Jesus.

Yes, if we keenly observe or go through the entire chapter of Acts of the Apostles (Acts 10) we would see and understand the clear manifestation of God’s great work and the Holy Spirit’s empowering work.  It is not just God is all-present, all-powerful and all-knowing, much more than these, the most important divine attribute and nature of God is love and he loves all without any favoritism and Partiality. God takes delight in calling whosoever he chooses, loves and fills them with the Holy Spirit, even if he or she was a non-Hebrew. The perfect example for such a great act is Cornelius and his household. Yes, sometimes, we may think that God is partial, but if we look at it with an eye of faith, we would understand that God loves us equally and gives us what we need or want in due time. It is God’s prerogative to choose to love and do whatever he likes, but he always loves good and does good for his people, because he has sealed us with his own image.  

That’s what Pope Francis would say, “God wants everyone to be saved, which is why those who evangelize must avoid letting their prejudices get in the way of God’s plan. An evangelizer cannot be an obstacle to the creative work of God, who wills everyone to be saved, but one who fosters an encounter of hearts with the Lord.” Yes, God loves us all and wants us all to be saved but it is our human perception that divides and disunites humanity and our faith in God. In one way or the other we Christians are called to be proclaimers of God’s word and evangelizers of God’s people. Let us not look at others with contempt and prejudice rather accept them as God’s children and bring them closer to God like Peter who brought Cornelius and his household to God with the grace and support of God. We need to allow God to work through us to experience God’s love and healing touch. We have no right to hinder the creative work of God but realize the way God works for us to be part of him in his eternal banquet of love. Such realization and recognition would only come about, when we think that God is God of all and loves all. Let us pray for such attitudes and approaches of God in our daily living.

2. God is the source of Love:

We read in St. Paul’s letter to First Corinthians about love (1 Cor 13:4-8). If we replace the word ‘Love’ with ‘God,’ it quite perfectly fits, because God is love and Love is God. Just to show the replaced version of the same; “God is patient, God is kind. God does not envy, God does not boast, God is not proud. God does not dishonor others, God is not self-seeking; God is not easily angered; God keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. God never fails.” Yes, certainly, it is true, because God is love and the source of love. That’s what we read in the second reading from St. John’s first letter.

The letter to St. John very clearly makes a mention of God’s love for us and God is the source of love as it says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Yes, the meaning is very clear that love has its foundation from God and God is the source of love. St. Jon’s letter too underscores an important point that the experience of God’s love is an integral part of our intimacy and relationship with God. Our love for God and for one another determines that love has its origin in God, because God does not and cannot hate as he is love himself. It is like Pope Francis who says, “Mercy is the name of God,” so also we can say “Love is another name for God, because God is love and is the source and summit of love.

Today, we need to understand and take it to heart that true love comes from God; the true love is invested in each one of us through God’s image and likeness; the true love of God demands from each one to manifest our love for one another. It is not that we are forced to love God or love others or love oneself. The natural covering of us is itself love, therefore we can’t but manifest love, which is very essential part of us since the foundation of our human existence. Naturally, each and every one of us is born with the capacity to love others by the gracious gift of God, the embodiment of love. It is our failure to realize our true nature that we fail to love God, others and oneself.

The second reading of the day beautifully points out that whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Yes, love is a door that has access to God. We feel at times that if anyone has reached out to us in time of dire need or received an unexpected help or support, we immediately say or exclaim with joy that God has sent an angel to help or to safe-guard or we might even exclaim, “Oh you came to my rescue like an angel or God.” Such people are the embodiment of true love of God in person or in presence. So today let us realize that God who is love has created us to love and be loving. Let us not lose our nature for natural love, just because of our human ego or emotions, desires and designs. Why should we end up life in misery, when there is an access to live life of heaven with love and mercy from God?

Very clearly Pope Francis points out that “God is love. His is not a sentimental, emotional kind of love but the love of the Father who is the origin of all life, the love of the Son who dies on the Cross and is raised, the love of the Spirit who renews human beings and the world. Thinking that God is love does us so much good, because it teaches us to love, to give ourselves to others as Jesus gave himself to us and walks with us.” Yes, let us not lose the nature of love that’s invested in us through the image and likeness of God rather use it for the greater glory of God and for the benefit of all. Such glory to God and benefit to others would be possible, when we give up our ego and silly emotions. May God, who is the source of love, help us to love God and others genuinely.

3. Abide in God’s Love:

We all of us know to abide means to be able to live with or put up with anything without giving up. To abide is to continue remaining or staying in one particular spot or direction or goal. So to abide in God’s love would mean that we continue to remain in God’s love at all costs, whether it rains or sun shines, it does not matter, one continues to remain in God’s love, without giving on to love of money, love of power, love of prestige, love of unnecessary and unwanted pleasures, love of lust, love of goods and commodities etc. Thus to abide in God’s love means one accepts or submits to God’s will always. That’s what the Gospel reading of the day focuses on and points out to as normative for life, ‘to abide in God’s love.’

Today’s Gospel passage comes in the context of Jesus’ farewell discourse. Last Sunday, the reading was about the parable of the vine and the branches (Jn 15: 1-8), which indicated our union with God the Father and the Son. It was a call to remain in Jesus or God the Father. Today, the Gospel reading is the continuation of last Sunday’s gospel that speaks about the union with God’s love and Jesus’ love. Therefore, it is a call to abide in God’s love. The call to abide in love comes as a result of our true union with God the Father and Son Jesus. The perfect union and the perfect love is what we can call as a perfect joy that Jesus speaks, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.” The joy to the fullest is experienced when our union with God is perfect and our love for God becomes perfect. In order to make our union and love with God the Father and Son Jesus perfect, we need to follow God’s commandments and precepts. It is God’s commands and commandments that become norm or normative for our way of Christian living.

Today, we need to realize that the union and love that Jesus speaks between him and the disciples is not something to be externally exhibited for name sake rather internal that should makes one’s relationship more personal and in-depth. This is the love that Jesus shows to the disciples, just as the Father shows the same love to His Son Jesus. This is a kind of love that holds all together as one though different. This is the love by which the disciples were called, chosen, sent on a mission to continue.  This is the love of Jesus that he does not call us or his disciples or the apostles as servants rather friends; Jesus is ready to lay down his life for others. The love of Jesus is beyond comparison and human conception, because we humans tend to compare the love that we have for the other or others over us; mostly, our love is based on emotions and feelings or desires or personal dreams or goals but Jesus’ love is other-centred, genuine in nature and generous without limits. Such is the love of God or Jesus over us.

Although, it is difficult for us to abide in God’s love, because of our human weakness and vulnerability, God gives us a way out to abide in God’s love, that is, to follow the commandment of God. The moment we follow the commandment of God, we will be able to love one another as God wishes us to be. Let us be sure that the one who abides in God’s love will have the ability to love God and love others genuinely, because abiding in God’s love transmits divine energy in us and transforms our life in entirety. Abiding in God’s love is a heart to heart connection that rejoices and renews life completely. For such an abiding in God’s love, we need to let go of our selfish love for power, position, money, material benefits etc.

Very beautifully, Pope Francis exhorts us saying, “The Lord invites us to step out of the logic of self-interest and not to measure love on the scales of calculations and convenience. He invites us not to respond to evil with evil, to dare to do good, to risk in giving, even if we receive little or nothing in return. This “extraordinary love” has the power to slowly transform conflicts and “heal the wounds of hatred. “Jesus’ words challenge us. While we try to remain within the ordinary with utilitarian reasoning, he asks us to open ourselves up to the extraordinary … a freely given love.”  Yes, the love of God is unconditional; the love of Jesus was a genuine sacrifice to sanctify and save us all. The love of God and the love of Jesus were manifested to us in order to abide in us. It is this abiding of God in us and abiding of God’s love over us has set us free from the stain of sin and a terrible agony or pain. if God could take a step out to abide in us through the medium of love, what about us. So let us realize that it is only by abiding in God that we bear fruit in plenty and that abundant fruit is ‘Love.’ Let us abide in God’s love, experience the love of God and spread the love of God to our brothers and sister on earth.

RESPOND:

Do we believe and understand that God loves us equally without any partiality or are we biased about God’s love for us?

Do we believe that God is the source and summit of love or do we consider ourselves as love’s source and summit?

Do we abide in God’s love, experience his love and spread to everyone or we keep it to oneself without sharing it to the other and expanding the family of God in love?

Let us believe that God loves us all without any partiality, God is the source and summit of genuine love and abide in God’s love to share his love to the world.  Amen.

God bless us all! Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS

rameshvkmsfs@gmail.com

9500930968