Reflection for May 18 Fifth Sunday of Easter: John 13:31-33a, 34-35

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

When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. 

I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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Reflection:

An old man who was about to die said to his children: "In a few hours, I know that I will be leaving you. Since I have no material treasures to bequeath to you, what I will give you is my love—my love that knows no bounds. And this same love, I want you all to carry in your hearts as well." 

Love is always easy to give when we receive love in return. But what if we don’t receive love? What if, instead of receiving love, we receive condemnation and hatred? Can we still give love when all we get is hatred and condemnation? 

In the Gospel, the Lord commands His apostles to love one another because He would soon be leaving them. He wants them to love each other as He loved them. But the apostles were human, subject to their own frailties. From time to time, they would offend one another. 

Despite their weaknesses, the apostles pressed on with their mission of evangelization. And they all achieved success—except for Judas, who betrayed Jesus. Why did they succeed? Because they lived out the Lord’s command to love one another to the fullest. 

Will you also choose to live out this commandment of love to the fullest? – Marino J. Dasmarinas