Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B May 6, 2018

First Reading
Acts of the Apostles 10:25-26,34-35,44-48
The gift of the Holy Spirit comes to Cornelius and his household, and they
are baptized.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 98:1,2-3,3-4
A song of praise for God’s salvation

Second Reading
1 John 4:7-10
God is love.

Gospel Reading
John 15:9-17
Jesus commands his disciples to love one another.

Jesus said to his disciples:
"As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father's commandments
and remain in his love.

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another."


Background on the Gospel Reading

Today’s Gospel follows immediately after the Gospel proclaimed last week,
in which Jesus taught that he was the vine and that his disciples were the
branches. In the example of the vine and the branches, we learned that our
union with Jesus will lead to fruitful service. Today’s reading extends
this teaching to describe the kind of service that Christians are called
upon to offer to others.

When John wrote this Gospel, his community was influenced by a set of
religious beliefs called Gnosticism. It appears that one of John’s
intentions was to distinguish Christian belief from the beliefs held by
the Gnostics. Evidence of this can be found in today’s Gospel.

One of the tenets of Gnostic teaching was the importance of knowledge, or
gnosis, as the determining aspect of faith. We read today’s Gospel as a
response to this teaching. In John’s Gospel, we hear Jesus affirm that he
is known by the Father and that his disciples will know the Father by
knowing Jesus. In this passage, however, Jesus reminds his disciples that
this knowledge is to be expressed in love. Those who know Jesus well—and
Jesus says that his disciples do know him—will love one another. Knowledge
leads to love, which leads to action. John reminds his community that
Jesus taught that love is the sign of a true disciple and, thus, a true
Christian. Even more, a true disciple shows a particular kind of love,
sacrificial love.

In the Greek, there are two words for love that are used in this passage.
The first is agape. The second is philia. The first word is most often
used to describe love for other persons and for God. It is understood as
the highest and most perfect kind of love. The second word is used to
describe the affection of friendship. In this context, John appears to use
these words as synonyms. The root of the Greek word for friend comes from
this second term for love, philia. By using this word, Jesus transforms
the terms of his relationship with his disciples and redefines for them
their relationship with God. In the Hebrew Scriptures, faith in God made
one a servant of God.

Here Jesus teaches that his relationship to his disciples is based on
friendship, not servitude.

Another aspect of Gnostic belief taught that a believer was an elect
person, chosen and set apart from the world. John reminds his community
that Jesus also taught that a disciple is one who had been chosen—one who
had been chosen by Jesus. To be chosen by Jesus, however, is not to be set
apart from the world. Instead, to be chosen by Jesus is to be sent to
serve the world as he did. The disciples of Jesus were chosen and were
sent into the world to bear fruit by serving others, by sacrificing for
others, in love.

This reading, like last week’s, is part of Jesus’ Last Supper discourse.
In the context of John’s Gospel, these words are spoken before Jesus’
Crucifixion. We read his instruction to the disciples in light of his
death and Resurrection. We know that Jesus himself gives us the greatest
example of the kind of love and service that he teaches to his disciples.
He has, in fact, laid down his life for his friends, for his disciples,
and for us. Through his death and Resurrection, we have received the grace
to love others as Jesus has commanded.


Family Connection
In family life, we have many opportunities to show love in action. Each
time we postpone a task to tend to the needs of another, we show ourselves
to be on the path to following the example of love shown to us by Jesus.
Sometimes the sacrifices we are called upon to make for others are small.
But these small choices to love and to serve others prepare us for the
larger choices and sacrifices that we may be called upon to make. If we
are people who have practiced showing our love for others with generosity,
we will also be people who are willing to lay down our lives for those we
love.

As you gather as a family, talk about the meaning of the word generosity.
Ask each family member to describe an action that shows generosity. To be
generous is to give freely to others without counting the cost. Recall
that generosity is one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Introduce today’s
Gospel reading by saying that Jesus taught us to be generous in showing
our love for one another. Read together today’s Gospel, John 15:9-17. What
examples did Jesus give to us that show this kind of love? (washing his
disciples’ feet; accepting death on the cross) Jesus helps us to show this
kind of love to others. In today’s Gospel, Jesus promised that God will
give us whatever we ask for. One of the things we can ask for from God is
a generous spirit so that we can love others as Jesus did. Conclude in
prayer together by praying Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Prayer for
Generosity.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings