Sixth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 56
9 MAY 2021 A.D.


Reading I
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him
and, falling at his feet, paid him homage.
Peter, however, raised him up, saying,
“Get up. I myself am also a human being.”

Then Peter proceeded to speak and said,
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.”

While Peter was still speaking these things,
the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.
The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter
were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit
should have been poured out on the Gentiles also,
for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.
Then Peter responded,
“Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people,
who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?”
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.


Responsorial Psalm
98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
   for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
   his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
   in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
   toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

All the ends of the earth have seen
   the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
   break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.


Reading II
1 Jn 4:7-10

Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.


Alleluia
Jn 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,
and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Jn 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”

Overview of the Gospel:

~ Continuing from last Sunday, the setting for this Sunday’s Gospel is just after the Last Supper
discourse in the upper room (John 13:1—14:31). Jesus has just spoken of himself as the vine and as
his disciples as the branches, and the necessity for them to abide in him and be fruitful, or to risk being
cut off.

~ He now goes on to say that Christians are brought into the loving relationship of the Trinity (verses 9-
11; 1 John 4:19). This involves a response of participation from us—and this participation should be
marked by joy, the hallmark of the Christian life (Philippians 3:1; 4:4-7).

~ Jesus delivers his new commandment of love, which he himself keeps perfectly (verses 12-14). We
fulfill this commandment by pouring out our life for love of God, as Jesus did on the Cross. It is clear
that joyful obedience, and not just faith, is required to be a “friend” of Jesus.

~ Indeed, Jesus wants us to be his friends, rather than “slaves” (verse 15). Even though it is even a great
honor to be slave of God (see Moses—Deuteronomy 34:5; Joshua—Josh 24:29; David—Psalm 89:20;
Paul—Romans 1:1; James—James 1:1), to be God’s friend is to have special access to him.

~ Verse 15 makes clear we are specially chosen by Jesus for certain tasks: to “bear fruit that will
remain”—fruits of holiness and apostolicity; and to persevere in prayer in Jesus name, especially as it
applies to those fruits we are responsible to bear. [courtesy: Vince Contreras--"Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics"]


"As two pieces of wax fused together make one, so he who receives Holy Communion is so united with Christ that Christ is in him and he is in Christ.” ~St. Cyril of Alexandria

Six Qualities of Authentic Love

...related: remember that the Septuagint was written in GREEK:


The Four Words for "Love" In Greek

Thanks!