Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Easter, 2025

Acts 14:21-27; Psalm 145; Revelation 21:1-5a; John 13:31-33a, 34-35

I will praise your name forever, my King and my God

We continue to rejoice in the Lord’s great kindness to His Church by giving us, Pope Leo XVI, a new “good shepherd” for His large flock! We pray that our gratitude will be accompanied by a calm and steadfast faithfulness to the Church.   A deeper joy will remain to sustain us.

Paul and Barnabas, too, encouraged the enthusiastic disciples in the early Church by reminding them of the paschal mystery they were called to live:  “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” A good shepherd needs a flock which is willing to really work – and sacrifice – with him.

Jesus’ kingdom is meant to grow “to the ends of the earth” and we are the ones who will spread it, or it won’t grow as God wants.  We know that each act of charity or sacrifice will benefit the whole Mystical Body.

As for my part in the Church’s growth, I might ask myself, “What am I waiting for?”  Souls are born and die each day.  I can help them.  In some small way, or larger way, I can help our Church to flourish.  Each good word or act can be united to others, in Christ, Who is the source of all our good.

We can be certain that our joy, too, will grow greater along with our apostolic zeal.  The mystics tell us that when Jesus finally reached Calvary, He actually kissed the Cross joyfully on which He would redeem us!

In this week’s Gospel, we listen to the extent to which Jesus asks us to give ourselves as He prepares for His Passion:  “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.”  Was there a limit to His love?  How can I expand my own?

St. Thomas Aquinas and other saints reflected on this and agreed that “love diffuses itself.”  It continually seeks ways to overflow and spread to others.

As the remembered joy of Mother’s Day last weekend lingers over us, the generosity of our own mothers or mother figures can be an inspiring example.

The Vicar of Our Holy Mother the Church reminds us to be open and outward-looking in our lives.  In his opening remarks to the world after his election Pope Leo XIV mentioned ways of reaching out to others through  building bridges, engaging in dialogue, walking with others, and especially being close to those who suffer.  All of us can do this in our daily lives.

Friends, you and I can bring a little bit of heaven down to earth…this week! God longs to be with us.  Let us allow Him to make us His dwelling place.

This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.