John’s Gospel – Chapters 14 to 16 including today’s Gospel, are known as Jesus’ “farewell discourses” after the Last Supper. Jesus prepares his followers for the time when he will be present among them in a new and different way, with the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus speaks about making his home in us, and about us “abiding” in him. He talks about giving us a kind of peace which the world cannot give and which the world cannot take away – even in the midst of life’s struggles – with sufferings and fear of death all around us.
Jesus tells us – in fact, commands us – to love one another.
What we need to understand is that when Jesus spoke of love, it was not in terms of emotions. For Christ, love is primarily a matter of the will, of the attitude towards others and action. There is no virtue in liking someone. There is also no sin in not liking someone. It is what we do with those feelings that results in sin or in virtue.
For example, it is not sinful to be angry… but the command is “Do not sin in your anger.”
We can speak of our love for the poor. We can shed tears of compassion for the poor, for those who are suffering. But unless we are willing to put some time, effort, and money to help the people in need and suffering, all our talk, all our tears about how bad we feel for other people really mean nothing.
The important thing about love is not what we feel, not what we say, but what we do. We show our love primarily by the things that we do. Love requires self-sacrifice. Love is self-giving… dying to self. Love is willing the good of the other.
The important thing is not about saying we are Christians – but the question is – are we being Christians, are we living truly as Christians? We have Marian devotions particularly during the month of May. The question is – do we have Marian way of living – Life of total surrender and trust in God and love of Jesus.
Jesus said that by our love for one another, people will know that we are His disciples… that we are Christians.
Anyone can say, “I will do good to that person, because I like him.” But - It takes strength of character to say, “I really do not like that person, but as a Christian, I will do good to him and wish him well anyway.”
Again, for Christ, love is primarily a matter of attitude and action. The attitude is: regardless of how I feel about a person, I will treat him as I want other people to treat me. And this is where we start to get real.
We may not be able to control how we feel, but we can control what we do with that feeling. Of course – this is much easier said than done and therefore many people are quick to say and conclude that Jesus’ commandment of love – especially love of our enemies - is unrealistic. It is just nice church talk; but not in real life, it just will not work.
Of course, admittedly, on our own, if we rely just on our own effort, we are doomed for failure from the outset.
With all due respect, unlike Buddha, Mohammed and other leaders of non-Christian religions, Jesus did not just leave his followers with teachings or values and concepts and principles to live by - Jesus left his disciples – us - with His abiding and intimate presence through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said: “Behold – I am with you always until the end of the age…”
Jesus said: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth.” – that means Jesus is already an Advocate – the Father is sending another Advocate - the Third Person of the Trinity.
Jesus left us with a special connection to Himself through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is truly risen, He is alive – He is still present among us, within us, around us. We know Him through the Spirit of God deep within our hearts…
No leader can teach his followers how to anticipate every possible event or crisis the future might bring. So - it is NOT enough just to learn how the leaders in the past met their challenges by reading history…
Case in point, at the start of Covid19 pandemic in 2020 – everyone was at a loss – even government leaders, scientists and even doctors admitted that the medical school and previous experiences did not prepare them enough for the Covid pandemic crises.
The Good News is - Jesus knew we would face different challenges in the 21st century – which are quite different from 2000 years ago or even 100 years ago or even 10 years ago or even a few days ago… because circumstances of our lives change. So - the Church – we – the Church - need to rely on the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit.,, every moment… every day.
How? By loving Jesus – by keeping our eyes focused on Jesus and keeping His commandments, by observing them, by being open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit…
How? The first thing you should do each morning is what? PRAY. It is like plugging yourself into the wall to get your batteries charged for the day. Praying is much more – infinitely more important than anything else you do in the morning. What’s important is that we pray - that we enter into this intimacy with Jesus, that we enter into prayer that we might have the Spirit of Christ, that we might have life in Christ every day.
Prayers are necessary in order to activate, so to speak, the gifts of the Holy Spirit – like wisdom and understanding - poured unto us at baptism and confirmation in order for us to live in the presence of Jesus. Jesus is the answer to all of life’s questions… Jesus is the answer to all of life’s problems… because Jesus said: “I am the Way; I am the Truth; I am the Life… He is the key to peace beyond understanding even in the midst of problems, pains and sufferings …
Jesus said: “Those who has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus is the sacrament of the Father…similarly - those in whom the Holy Spirit lives most fully – those who are in communion with Christ – are the living sacraments of Jesus - people see Jesus in them.
They do not even need to speak of it… because when the beauty of Christ is reflected in us, it speaks more effectively than the most eloquent words.
The simple point is – with the Holy Spirit as our Advocate and Helper and Guide - if we are one with Christ – if we have the mind and heart and attitude of Christ, the evidence of our union with Christ – of being Christians - is seen in our daily lives.
With all the troubles, violence and sufferings in the world - more than ever, people really need now to experience the loving, gracious and merciful presence of God through us who claim to be Christians. So – my brothers and sisters in Christ - the question to us is this: When people are around you or when you are with people: Can people see Christ in us? Can people experience the loving, gracious, merciful presence of God through us – as individuals and as a community?
On that note: In the Spirit of Celebrating Mothers’ Day:
From Jewish Proverbs: “A mother understands what a child does not say.” Wow!
St. Therese of Lisieux said that “the loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.”
... Meaning - Mothers are the embodiment – Mothers are the living sacraments of God’s love.
A mother’s love is unconditional. Our mothers love us whether we are beautiful or ugly, smart or dull, able-bodied or handicapped; our mothers love us whether we are a success or a failure in society, whether we are grateful or often times ungrateful.
All these qualities of a mother’s love are for us a foretaste of God’s tender and untiring love for us. And this is what we are celebrating… on Mothers’ Day.
We are celebrating Mothers’ Day because through our mothers’ hands, God cares for us when we are in need; through our mothers’ mouths God speaks to us words of consolation when we are heartbroken; through our mother’s heart God pours out to us His unconditional love that never gives up on us.
But of course, we cannot and should not forget spiritual mothers because it is a fact that there are women who cannot literally or physically cannot be mothers – because of one reason or another… but they are also so motherly in their own way.
So, we acknowledge and appreciate all mothers in that sense and we say, “God bless you all mothers.” We thank and praise God for you, mothers.
And so I say to all of you: Happy Mothers’ Day! God bless…
