“You look just like your mother!”

Fifth Sunday of Easter

18 May 2025

First Reading: Acts 14:21-27

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13

Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-5a

Gospel: John 13:31-33a, 34-35

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

From childhood to this day, people would often marvel at how I look just like my mother. When they see us side by side or so long as they see either one of us with a picture of the other for reference, I often hear this shred of fascination. Whether live or in pictures, I take one look at both of us, and I cannot deny the resemblance. Truly, I am my mother’s son; but besides facial semblance, how else do we know we are our parents’ children? As children of God, how do we know we are His children, His beloved apostles?

Besides how we look on the outside, we are often associated with the things we do, especially out of habit, and the things we can typically be identified by, such as our traits and characteristics; but as children of God, how do we know we are His apostles? In the days of the Old Testament, the Israelites were judged by how closely they held to the law—the Torah; and this can reasonably be expected of a people whose faith is still in its primacy; whose spiritual journey is still greatly uncharted; but upon the advent of the New Testament—of Christ Himself, people would be awakened to what the Law actually meant; for people have grown accustomed to looking at the letter of the law, not its Spirit. That was why some were militant about the enforcement of the Law. If meat was considered unclean, it would be an abomination to so much as lay one’s hand on it; but when Christ came, Peter himself was rebuked by the Voice of the Lord: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 10:15)

As we grow in spiritual maturity, we become more attuned to what God calls us to do. The Law was and has always been good, but it has always been our interpretation of the Law that sets the chaff apart from the wheat; the goat apart from the sheep; some do not follow the law altogether; all of us follow It to a relative measure though imperfectly, and some follow It too fastidiously. The Law of God aims to inculcate in us this: to be His followers, it is not enough to only abide by the Law, but to look deeper into Its spirit: why was It brought forth in the first place? What is Its intention? If we follow the Law without the right heart, spirit, and mind that understand with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will not make the connection: all of God’s laws point toward His ultimate Law: for us to love Him and each other, as God has loved us all. This is our ultimate call. Anything less than this relegates us to the status of mere “do-gooders,” acquiescent to external stipulations but lacking in spiritual substance and character. “Love,” according to 1 Peter 4:8, “covers a multitude of things; love is the fulfillment of the Law.” (Romans 13:10b) It is love that instates us as Christ’s apostles.

Do we love God to the extent that will satisfy our innate longing for Him? Have we done our part in sharing Christ’s love with others? Have we extended a healthy dose to ourselves? Love is not only the shimmer of romance in which we express to others anything relationally enticing, as this can be merely idealistic; love is the force that binds us all together in good faith. Love is the work we pour into ensuring as much as possible that we can all live in the context of a socio-spiritually conducive community. Wherever we falter, love is the conciliatory energy that makes up for what our brother or sister lacks. “Love does no harm to a neighbor.” (Romans 13:10a) Even the late Charlie Chaplin has purportedly said something about love for its effect, so good-willing than its easily corruptible value-counterpart: power. Charlie Chaplin is often credited for this adage: “You need power only when you want to do something harmful. Otherwise, love is enough to get everything done.” Love not only remains in us, people, but also radiates in the things we do, no matter how small they may be. Mother Teresa is also associated with this saying: “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Have we loved today in a measure spiritually satisfying, no matter how little?

Prayer

Lord God, thank You for imparting to us Your commandment of love, for apart from love, which is of You, we can find nothing else which enjoins us since it uplifts others and ourselves, in turn. May love continue to link us all together in harmony, and us to You in perpetuity. These we ask, in Jesus’ most holy Name, with the intercession of our Blessed loving Mother, Mary, Amen.