FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - MAY 15, 2022

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

“Love one another as I have loved you.” In his darkest moments when Christ was facing his death, his final message of instruction to his closest followers was simple: he came to teach us essentially how to love. If anything, we are called to model Christ by loving others, even in the face of persecution and hardship.

READ THIS SUNDAY'S MESSAGE

Love is expressed in different forms, but its foundation is always the same. Whether we love our families, our spouses, our children, our friends, or even strangers, the true way we show love is through self-sacrifice. Throughout the readings from this Sunday, we see the different expressions of love that God shows to His people, and they are all connected to each other. At the Last Supper, Christ gives his disciples one last instruction after Judas leaves. He waited for Judas to leave because he intended that this would be a requirement in the disciples’ ministry after Jesus left them: to bring people into the Truth by loving them in the same way that Christ loved them, which was ultimately what motivated them to follow him. We can see this instruction being put into action by the disciples in the first reading. Paul and Barnabas were able to get many to follow them as disciples, but warned them of the consequences of true love: “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” This is not because hardships are valuable in and of themselves, but because they manifest the worth of true love. Our ultimate desire through love is to live in the goodness of others. We hear this is the second reading, as John describes a glimpse of heaven. Despite all of the suffering and hardships that love entails, God will eventually wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, because love ultimately conquers all.

FAMILIES, ACTIVATE!

Family activity to do at home: It can be a struggle to boldly live out our faith in Christ and our love of God. Even if we are convinced that we hold the Truth in our beliefs, it can be difficult to share this publicly in a world that will not take seriously trusting in the Divine. This is your opportunity to boldly proclaim your love for God, to reciprocate the love He has for you, and to pass it on to your children. Pray the Litany of the Love of God to remind yourself that love is expressed outwardly, not inwardly.