‘Love One Another!’

As this year’s beautiful season of Easter draws to a close, we are guided to remain focused on Jesus’s central commandment to his followers: ‘Love’. We are loved, forgiven and transformed sinners; called, commanded and commissioned to love others; graced and grounded in the love that has been poured out for us.

This love inspired the Early Church to spread the Good News of Jesus’s life, death and resurrection throughout Asia Minor (present-day Turkey and Syria). Paul and Barnabas supported and appointed leaders to keep the flame of God’s love alive in these early church communities (First Reading).

Beautiful prophetic visions attributed to St John, writing from the same area, describe how lovingly God is wedded to us. He has chosen to dwell amongst us and is making all things new in this love (Second Reading).

Today’s Gospel proclaims a simple, joyful central message. Jesus gives his followers, gives us, a ‘new commandment’: ‘Love one another, as I have loved you.’

The Psalm for this Sunday joyfully celebrates life graced by our God of compassion and love. God’s compassion is for all creatures, and his everlasting kingdom is rooted in love.

This overflowing banquet of love is the source and sustenance of our hope as we journey onwards as Pilgrims of Hope. Let us pray in this Jubilee Year that we will be inspired to care for each other and for all creation with compassion and love, strengthened by Jesus’s love for us.

(With thanks to St Beuno's Outreach)

ARTWORK

The Farewell Discourse

Duccio di Buoninsegna

Maestà Altarpiece, Siena Cathedral