Catholic 735: Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C - Sunday, May 19, 2019

Homily Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C - Sunday, May 19, 2019

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading: Acts 14:21-27

Psalm: Ps 144:8-13. "I will praise your name forever my king and my God"

Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-5

Gospel Acclamation: John 13:34

Gospel: John 13:31-35

Homily

Image:  By Art Stocker Shutterstock licensed  photo ID: 563425426 Silhouette male thought positive rise hand on the beach background. Christian praise God - man standing up for wellbeing open arms over nature sun concept victory spirit wisdom - Image

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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C - Sunday, May 19, 2019 by clicking this link here:   https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/easter-5c-faith-hope-and-love/s-6sYXR  (EPISODE: 158)
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We want to love with the love that Christ (God) loves.  Because we are limited human beings and we are speaking about Divine Love, which is infinite and unfathomable, we will very likely not attain the fullness of this Love until the fullness of the Heavenly Kingdom. But here and now we already live the beginnings of God's love forming and growing within us. 

Love is a universal concept held by sacred and secular cultures throughout the world and through history. Christian love is a particular and extraordinary concept which challenges us to deepen our understanding and practise in accordance with Christ's vision.  And we desire to deepen our understanding and our living of this profound way of loving that Christ has opened to doors to.  

In the first reading today, there is a delightful line: "they put fresh heart into the disciples…" and encouraged the people to persevere in the trials and difficulties that they faced in their following of Christ.   It is a reminder, that the purpose of Christ's Church, and all its members, is to encourage, support and strengthen each other; and to be instruments of God's grace, strength, encouragement, power, and mercy to all people.   

God, (as the second reading reminds us), is making "All things new"   -  God is constantly at work in his disciples making us a new creation, in God's image.  We are being re-shaped and re-fashioned in the image of Christ and his Gospel. This is a subtle, and daily process that continues throughout life. And when we look back, we see the graces, blessings and re-creating that God has wrought in our lives and the lives of our family and friends around us. 

One of the ways that God 'renews us'  is by giving us new starts and new beginnings.  This is an essential aspect of our discipleship. Let us make no bones about this, following Christ and his Gospel vision is very challenging and difficult.   Jesus is offering the world a new commandment of Love that challenges us to go so much deeper than some concepts of love held by the world. In other ways, Christ is extending the natural selflessness and unconditionality that one finds in families: parents for their children,  the unbreakable bonds of bloodlines.... and making this the image of God's love for his people...  a loving parent for his beloved children..  and his challenge for how we live in this world...   as brothers and sisters in Christ, one family within the human family..  united by blood.. the blood of Christ. 

The readings are very encouraging, this weekend. For we are reminded, that "God lives with his people…...  God is known as "God-with-them"... and our God lives in our midst; walking along with us; constantly at work taking the pain and tears from our midst. God is at work fashioning "healing and peace" in the hearts of his beloved people.

Then we move to the gospel…  an intriguing piece of text. It starts by saying…   "After Judas had gone…"   That is a rather interesting beginning sentence: Jesus makes his speech as soon as Judas, (his betrayer), has left the table to go and sell-him-out!!  ...literally..... "Judas has left the building"  - not just physically, but spiritually. He has withdrawn his support from Christ and his message, (his gospel). 

Judas has left the table of the Lord. And, as he leaves, Judas takes with him Judas' selfishness, his greed, his desire for money, his misguided desire for power, his focus on his own needs.  Now, those who remain at the table are all there voluntarily, and with their hearts and minds set on following Jesus and his Kingdom. Now, the ones who remain with Jesus, although they still suffer from weakness; and sometimes doubt, and sometimes stumbling; but nevertheless those who surround him are now a group who are totally dedicated to service, love, and sacrifice: According to Jesus' vision!!!

Now is the time! Jesus now begins his final instruction to them before he suffers and dies. when a person realises that their time is very short, and that their hour is upon them, and that they will shortly die, their deeply held values and desires inevitably come to the fore.  And what Christ said and did just before he died shows us very profoundly the things that God thinks are REALLY important and central and what is not.  What Jesus did NOT say at this intense moment is as important as what he DID say. For example, Jesus knew that his time had come to suffer and die, so he says, "listen, my dear children, I am not going to be with you longer... I must tell you this because it is very important. remember this, above all else...   And what does he say??  well, he does Not say...  'above all else even if you are not practising the message of the gospel at least appear to be.'  He definitely did not say that! Neither did he say, "listen, my time is short, so remember this if you remember nothing else:  appearing righteous and keeping the letter of the law is more important than everything else - disassociate yourselves with all who fall short or stumble."  he certainly did not say that either!!   What he did say, and thanks be to God, is:  How you love is what matters above all. 

He continues to teach us, even to this day, what he means by love, but what a wonderful message.  Saint Paul picks up on this powerfully and Saint Therese also writes deeply on this truth.  If I do even a good thing for a bad motive and without love, it will do me no good whatsoever and will not please God.  Love and compassion is so central.  Doing good and keeping God's law is not unimportant of course, but if we do not do these and other things with the love of God in our heart flowing out into actions motivated by God's love, we have utterly missed the point.  So, just before he suffers and dies, he deeply desires to make it clear: "People will Know you are my disciples, first and foremost, above any other quality, by the way you love one another! ….  This is truly beautiful. The quality of one's love, compassion, mercy, and practical care will be the touchstone of the "Disciple-follower-and-friend" of Jesus Christ…..    If this is not witnessed, the lack of love and compassion; mercy, gentleness, and justice, will (without a doubt)  be the single-most damaging sign to others of our witness as disciples of Christ. This is what people look for in a Christian. When they see it, they are inspired and moved. And when they do not see and experience it, they are scandalized, discouraged and lose hope and trust, perhaps even faith.

Love…  true Christian love….   A love that puts others first…   seeks what is truly best for the other, even if it is at the cost and sacrifice of our own personal ambitions and desires. This is a love that serves and suffers, sacrifices.... and puts oneself last… and others first (or at least putting others needs as equal to our own).  This is the image Jesus wanted to leave with his disciples before he suffered and died for all. In short; before he showed them the perfect love that holds nothing back, and which strips itself of everything, even that which one may be entitled to...… Christ even lays down his precious, unique life for his friends and even for those who call themselves his enemies. ….. 

They will know you are Christian by your love…. 

They will know the quality of our Christianity, by the depth, quality and practicality of our love……

How truly beautiful…..   "They will know we are Christians by our LOVE."

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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly

Image:  By Art Stocker

Shutterstock licensed  photo ID: 563425426

Silhouette male thought positive rise hand on the beach background. Christian praise God on Thanksgiving day man standing up for wellbeing open arms over nature sun concept victory spirit wisdom - Image
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"Faith, Hope and Love,  A time of Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
 [{selected psalms } - ***Psalm verses are (also) taken from "The Psalms: A New Translation" ©1963, The Grail (England), published by Collins.. **]

Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg's 1993 book " Together we pray". Published in Sydney Australia By  E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).

{ "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -published 2011,  Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski 
Featuring the….Gloria, The Creed, The Kyrie, The Mass parts, Psalms:  http://www.ccwatershed.org/chabanel/  ]]] ] COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/  

"Faith, Hope and Love" theme Hymn:   Words, based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, set to original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.

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May God bless and keep you.


Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C
(Sunday, May 19, 2019)

(EPISODE: 158 )

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
You raise the dead to life in the Spirit. Lord, have mercy//You bring pardon and peace to the sinner. Christ, have mercy// You bring light to those in darkness. Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation

We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

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Easter IV

Euch prayer III

Communion side.  pwk:  LH
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Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.