Promise of Love

Sixth Sunday of Easter

26 May 2019

First reading                                                                        Acts 15:1-2, 22-29
Some individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this?
Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.
Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

Second reading                                                        Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23

In the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The angel who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits by human measurement, which the angel was using. The wall is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Gospel                                                                     John 14:23-29

Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.

Reflection

By Pietro S. Albano

Sunday Masses, as well as solemnities, would not be complete without the Profession of Faith or Creed. In our parish, we would normally sing this. The chorus strikes a chord: "I believe in God the Father. I believe in God the Son. I believe in the Spirit and the strength that makes us one. I believe that Mother Mary is the Mother of God's Son. I believe. I do believe".

It's been six weeks since we celebrated Easter Sunday. Looking back, we have seen how faithful Jesus was when He rose again from the dead, as He promised. Through thick and thin, Jesus remained true to His word. In today's Gospel, He made another promise: "I am coming to you". People down through the ages have clung to Jesus' word in spite of the many hardships they faced. Our very own Saints Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod come to mind. There are also modern witnesses whose faith in the Lord are so strong and inspiring. I remember a priest friend sharing in social media a photo of churchgoers attending Mass in a flooded chapel. Another priest friend shared how the people in a far-flung island would drop everything so they could attend Mass in their chapel - they only have Mass twice a year. 

In the face of suffering and persecution, in the moments when disagreements and controversies rock our faith community, in those occasions when it feels as though God is absent, have we kept His word? How we keep His word would reveal how we love Him.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we praise and thank You for Your faithfulness. Help us to be faithful too that You and the Father would find a home in us. Amen.

Mary, Virgin Most Faithful, pray for us.