Reflection for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

In reflecting on the read today, a song which was quite popular a number of years ago comes to mind. Some of you may remember it also. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. What the world needs now is love, sweet love, no, not just for someone, but for everyone. ( words by Hal David, 1965)
Is love, we might ask, really what the w needs today? Are we not in need of more cures for cancer and heart disease, as well as other afflictions? Do we not need more scientists, more technology? What is needed to fight evil? More often than not government reports and the news media carry a message contrary to what we hear in our Scripture readings today. Jesus speaks of love, yet, the coverage we hear or read almost daily in the media is about revenge, striking back, destroying nations or economic sanctions. Relationships with other nations, based on love and respect as Jesus commanded, may very we be the answer to today’s world problems.
In today’s Gospel reading from Saint John, we hear the words of Jesus taken from the readings at the Last Supper. Jesus had almost completed his ministry on earth give to him by his Father. Throughout his ministry Jesus had cured the sick, removed fear and oppression from people’s live, fed the hungry, spoke the truth, and raided the dead to life. Jesus was all about live, love, and inviting his Apostles and followers to have the same attitude. At the end of his ministry, Jesus realized that what the world needed most was love sweet love.
To bring a new vision to the world, a call to lo one another was the mission of Jesus. Jesus gave us a new commandment which was to love everyone as Jesus loved. By this love will all know the disciples of Jesus. Jesus called it a new commandment because have it to us his followers as the distinctive mark. From then on, Christian society would be challenged with this new law. True human progress in future ages would be measured according to the fulfillment of the law of love, the new commandment.
The early Church communities practiced the new commandment of love, sharing all resources in common. Love of neighbor became their identification badge. Non-Christian way of life, remarked , ” See how they love one another.”
Today we pray for the gift of greater awareness, strength, and courage to wear proudly our identification badge of love so that, in our relationships with others, we may be known as true followers of Jesus.
May God bless you all!
Fr. Dominic
Your brother in Christ.