Posted: 4/28/2010 5:50:12 PM EDT
|
May 2, 2010
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 14:21-27 21 strengthening the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them that they should remain always in the faith, and that it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations. 22 And when they had established priests for them in each church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed. 23 And traveling by way of Pisidia, they arrived in Pamphylia. 24 And having spoken the word of the Lord in Perga, they went down into Attalia. 25 And from there, they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had now accomplished. 26 And when they had arrived and had gathered together the church, they related what great things God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 27 And they remained for no small amount of time with the disciples. Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-5a 1 I saw the new heaven and the new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 And I, John, saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying: “Behold the tabernacle of God with men. And he will dwell with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be their God with them. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more. And neither mourning, nor crying out, nor grief shall be anymore. For the first things have passed away.” 5 And the One who was sitting upon the throne, said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Gospel: John 13:31-33a,34-35 31 Then, when he had gone out, Jesus said: “Now the Son of man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, then God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him without delay. 33a Little sons, for a brief while, I am with you. 34 I give you a new commandment: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also must you love one another. 35 By this, all shall recognize that you are my disciples: if you will have love for one another.” -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Study Resources Overview of the Gospel: * The setting of this Sunday’s Gospel is right after Jesus has predicted his betrayal, and Judas his betrayer has left into the darkness of the night (verses 21-30). * Jesus speaks of his ultimate glorification which began with his fulfilling the mission given him by the Father (John 17:1-5) and of which his impending Passion is the final step. The glorification of the Son is that of the Father: when one is glorified, so are both. * Jesus leaves his disciples with a “new” commandment: to love one another. This command is similar to commands found in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18; Exodus 23:4-5) but with important—and more demanding—differences: Whereas the Old Testament command to love did not typically extend beyond one’s kinsmen and fellow Israelites, Jesus’ commands us to love even our enemies and do good to them (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 10:25-37; Romans 13:9). * Jesus’ love will be the standard and example for Christians. However, he also gives us the power to carry out this love by faith and through the grace given by him in the sacraments. * This love will be the distinctive mark of those who claim to walk in his steps (verse 35; John 15:12-13; 1 John 2:8, 3:7-21). In this we are imitating God who loved us first (Romans 5:5-8). Questions: * In the First Reading, the Apostles visit no less than 7 cities in this leg of their missionary journey. What is the focus of their activities in each of these places? In light of the Gospel reading, what is the motivation behind these labors? * In verse 31, Jesus refers to himself as the “Son of man” and says it is now time for him to be glorified. How does this fulfill the prophecy of the Messiah and the coming Kingdom (Daniel 7:13-14; c.f. Matthew 26:64; Revelation 14:14)? How is this a beginning of the fulfillment of the Kingdom as described in the Second Reading? * Why did Jesus wait until Judas had gone (verses 30-31) to share the message of verses 31-35? What does he call the disciples to do? * Jesus’ new command of love goes beyond that of the Old Covenant (Leviticus 19:18; Exodus 23:4-5): Where does this love come from (Ezekiel 36:26; Jeremiah 31:31-34; 1 John 3:16)? How, according to Jesus, is this new command meant to be carried out? * Would all know you are a disciple of Jesus by the way you behave? Why or why not? |
|
* Jesus’ new command of love goes beyond that of the Old Covenant (Leviticus 19:18; Exodus 23:4-5): Where does this love come from (Ezekiel 36:26; Jeremiah 31:31-34; 1 John 3:16)? How, according to Jesus, is this new command meant to be carried out?
...mighty hard, mighty hard, Sisters and Brothers, to be told: love your family (sure, no problem) and love your friends (okay), BUT, now we are commanded to "love your enemies." "I give you a new commandment": this puts Jesus on a par with Yahweh. The commandment itself is not new; Lev 19:18. Rough to do. very hard. Love, in many respects, is the transmission of truth. But where does Jesus get this notion from? Simple: it came to him through the Father. That torrent, that flow of love between the Father and the Son is eternal and immeasurable. We can love one another, in a manner of speaking, like a dew drop. But the love from the Father to the Son and the Son to the Father––well, to me, it's like an everlasting Niagara Falls! and exactly how is this to be carried out? By us! Plain and simple. "See how they love one another!" was an exclamation the non-Christians would always remark about how early followers of "The Way" acted. Later, for the first time in Antioch, they were called "Christians." As Jesus loved his disciples, so we are to love one another. We are to imitate the love of Jesus. |
|
* In the First Reading, the Apostles visit no less than 7 cities in this leg of their missionary journey. What is the focus of their activities in each of these places? In light of the Gospel reading, what is the motivation behind these labors?
They were establishing faith communities among the gentiles and ordaining priests for them. Their motivation is their love for all - even the gentiles when it was thought that salvation was only for the Jews. * Would all know you are a disciple of Jesus by the way you behave? Why or why not? Let's just say I'm a work in progress and leave it at that!  Depends on how long ago my last confession was and how well the kids are behaving...
I keep repeating to myself "Love is patient, love is kind" these days. |