Weekly thoughts on the Sunday Gospel, readings or a topic...

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seeing your life through the lens of the gospels – John 13:31-35
1. Judas leaves, and Jesus announces that the moment has come for God’s power to be made manifest. This is unexpected at a moment of imminent betrayal. Have there been times for you when the power of God was made manifest in strange circumstances?
2. ‘I shall not be with you much longer.’ Jesus announces a parting of the ways. There are places we have to go in life, where others cannot come with us. There are places others have to go and we cannot accompany them. When have you experienced this going on alone as necessary for a fuller life for yourself, or for someone else?
3. Jesus proclaims love as the distinguishing characteristic of his followers. Have there been times when reaching out to others has heightened your sense of walking in the footsteps of Jesus?
4. Who are the individuals or communities whose love for one another and for others has been a witness to you?  – John Byrne, OSA

The Deep End
‘Love one another’ is the basic principle of Christianity, to love as Jesus loved. It is simple, yet we can make it so complicated. Jesus’ love was controversial for some people, because it was love without exclusion. To love as Jesus loved is to love those it is hard to love. This love ultimately led to Jesus’ death. Jesus loved sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, people of other religions, the poor, the unwanted, the sick, the beggar, the leper. This love is too much for some Christians today also. It is hard to love the sinner or to love family members or friends who have hurt us. Yet this is the love that we are called to. Once we begin to accept that we are infinitely loved by God, it is like a domino effect where that love is poured outwards in our lives. We are part of this outpouring of God’s creative love and are called to bring this into places where there is none. In this way we are helping to heal, sustain and nourish this world.
Let us hear those words of the Gospel more clearly today: ‘Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.’ Let us dream of, and work towards, a world where this is a reality.
‘God has given us the power to create beauty, to make another smile, to be a healing presence in someone’s sorrow, to bring justice to the oppressed, to console those in difficulty, to bring peace and joy to others, to help those in need, to laugh and enjoy life, to do good and turn from evil, to forgive those who have hurt us, and, most of all, to love.’ (Iris Perez)  – Jane Mellett, Pastoral Worker, Dublin

(from Intercom)