SUNDAY, SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 15: 1-2, 22-29 Ps 67 Rv 21: 10-14, 22-23 Jn 14: 23-29
THE PROOF OF LOVE
In the classical movie Fiddler on the Roof, the protagonist Tevye asks his wife Golde, “Golde, do you love me?” Her response offers an interesting insight into the nature of true love. She replies, “Do I love you? For 25 years I’ve washed your clothes, cooked your meals, cleaned your house, given you children, milked your cow… if that’s not love, what is?”
True love is not merely an emotion or a verbal expression; it manifests itself in concrete action. When we love someone, we seek to do what pleases them. We strive to fulfil their will. Imagine if Jesus were to call you by name today and ask, “My child, do you love me?” How would you respond? Would you say, “Lord, I attend Mass every day, I fast on Fridays and I spend time in prayer and meditation”? While these are important spiritual practices, they alone do not prove our love for God. Jesus reminds us: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21). What is the will of God? How do we truly prove to Him our love?
The answer is found in today’s Gospel, where Jesus declares: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Genuine love for Jesus is demonstrated by obedience to His commandments. And what is His greatest commandment? The commandment of love. St. John reinforces this truth: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 Jn 4:20)
Jesus makes three promises to those who love Him in this way:
- The Gift of the Holy Spirit – “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth.” (Jn 14:16) The Holy Spirit is our guide on life’s journey, enabling us to live a holy and virtuous life. St. Paul tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal 5:22-23) The Holy Spirit also helps us in prayer: “For we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.” (Rom 8:26)
- Union with God – “You will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.” (Jn 14:20) From childhood, we are taught in catechism that God made us to know, love, and serve Him so that we may be with Him forever. Our ultimate purpose is to be one with God and to experience His presence dwelling within us. Everything else in life is secondary to this divine union.
- The Experience of God’s Love – “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” (Jn 14:21) When we live in intimate communion with God, we experience the depths of His love. “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 Jn 4:16)
How can we love one another as Jesus loves us?
- Loving like Jesus means loving unconditionally. Jesus’ love is ‘agape’ – a selfless, unconditional love that does not depend on the other person’s actions or worthiness.
- Loving like Jesus means accepting others as they are. It means embracing people with their strengths and weaknesses without judgment or condemnation, helping them become the best version of themselves.
- Loving like Jesus means forgiving always. Jesus calls us to forgive, to pray for those who persecute us, and to will the good of even those who try to harm us.
When you love someone in this way, you will go out of your way to make them happy. You will be ready to sacrifice your time, energy, and resources for their well-being. Jesus loved us so much that He sacrificed His life for us. Today, He invites us to go and do likewise: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12).
Response: Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
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