FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Also Read: Mass Readings for 15 May 2022 Mass Reading Reflection for 15 May 2022
LOVE
For Jesus love is the most important attitude. Love is not restricted to emotion with Jesus. Jesus before bidding farewell to His chosen twelve, wanted them to share the same attitude, Love. And Jesus puts it as a challenge, “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.”
Do you love like Jesus? It is time to ask ourselves this very fundamental question. No matter what happens, do you love like Jesus?
For Jesus love meant taking sides with the loved one irrespective of the response. His love for humanity is well represented by the short prayer Jesus made hanging on the cross; “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” It was a prayer for all of us as it was a prayer for those who conspired and executed the crucification plan. He humbly acknowledges human failure, yet takes our side and pleads for us. He did not stop at forgiving the atrocities committed against Him but went on taking sides with the executors and pleading mercy for them. Thus, Jesus defined love. And now He challenges us to love like Him. During this era of crazy online challenges, is there anyone to take the love challenge of Jesus?
Jesus did not refuse the kiss of betrayal by Judas Iscariot, he only protested the abuse of the kiss, which is the symbol of love. Jesus did not utter a word to humiliate Peter for denying Him publicly, instead, He made him announce his love publicly. Jesus did not abandon the disciples, who left Him at a crucial time, instead, He held them evermore close.
Now, we have a glimpse of what Jesus meant when He said, ‘love as I loved’. Can you love as Jesus loved? It is not an easy task. You have to benchmark constantly with the love of Jesus. If you read Jesus as He appears in the Bible on a daily basis, you shall get to know what he means when He says, ‘love as I loved’. You have to be in constant contact with Jesus to love as He loves. Because we need constant support to love like Jesus. If not Jesus, who can support you in this rather difficult task? Seek support and as He promised, you shall get it.
Are you ready to accept the love challenge of Jesus?
Amen.
