6th Sunday of Easter Year B. By Tobe Eze.

1.       If we are to take life as an examination hall where we are faced face to face with the invigilator, we will not cheat. We will not sin. Tobe Eze.

6th Sunday of Easter Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 10:25—26, 34—35, 44—48

SECOND READING
1 John 4:7—10

GOSPEL
John 15:9—17

WE CAN STILL HAVE THAT CHRIST’S SCRIFICIAL LOVE.

An experiment was carried out to know different people’s notions of love and each gave the answer according the state of life the person was. It started with a new married man. He said that love is when you come back from work and your wife is yet to finish cooking and you go inside change and join her in the cooking without complaining. It means you love your wife very well. A newly married lady was asked the same question and she answered. It is when you suffered all alone doing house chores, when your husband came back he pretended he did not notice anything and without complain you went ahead and feed him when you are eating. That shows you love your husband. A young lady was asked and she said. Love is when your man after looking at all your weaknesses still defend you before others and care for you the more. A young man was asked and he answered. It is when your girl after seeing you with other girls that she does not understand your movement with them and ignored everything and continues to love you more. Two children were asked and they said. Love is when your parents take care of you, show you parental love and responsibility. An old man was asked and he said, it is when your wife who is younger than you still takes care of you at your old age and your children do not make your BP to rise. All these answers may be right but none of them has reached the love Jesus, God and man has for and towards us. All these are just explaining love of one that is dear to us. What of those whom we do not know? What of our enemies? What of other things that are not human beings (like)? We have to leave our comfort zones if we want to show the sacrificial love of Christ. Christ left his father and the Holy Spirit in heaven, came down to us just for us to have life in full (John 10:10b). Continue Reading.......................

 In the first reading, St. Peter who knew nothing about Cornelius until that encounter left everything and went to his house, a gentile for that matter. He was moved by the spirit of love of the risen Christ. Peter did not do much there before the descent of the Holy Spirit on them. We do not need to do much before the love of Christ will manifest in others through us. St. Theresa of the child Jesus said that it is through little ways that we will go to heaven. By doing little things that we think they do not matter and we will achieve much as Peter achieved the whole household of Cornelius.

Second reading still on the issue of love tells us that God himself is love. If we have love in us, that means, we have God in us and anyone who has God in him/her lacks nothing else in this passing world and the eternal world. God first loved us and has directed us to continue in that line and if we are really children of God, we must continue with it. He sent us his only begotten son just for the love he has for us (John 3:16). When I was in the secondary school, when I was yet to understand the love Christ is teaching. A priest came to my school for moral instruction, during homily, he stressed on students loving each other. I was just thinking in my quiet mind.  Is it impossible? I can only love my only and one sweet girlfriend. How can I love my fellow men or all these ugly and insulting girls in my school? My girl is enough for me. When I grew to know the real love Christ is talking about and which the priest was talking about, each time I remember that, I will just laugh at myself. The truth here is that some still even in their old age still think in that direction. Love is for all not for some or a particular person. He showers his rain to the good and the bad, his sun shines on the good and the bad (Matthew 5:45).

Gospel summarizes everything we have been saying. The whole thing came to fulfilment in it. Jesus knowing full well that some of us do not even love ourselves talk more of loving others. He gave us a new mandate that we should love as he has loved us, not as we love ourselves as we know before. He love us to the extent of sacrificing himself for us. We are called to imitate him. His mission is for our joy to be complete, we should also make other persons’ joy to be complete because we are the physical Jesus on earth to our neighbours.

It is only sacrificial love like that of Christ that is perfect. There is no greater love than this that one sacrifices his life for his friends (John 15:13). We can sacrifice in many ways. It is not only to die for our neighbours but to make sure that their joys are complete through the teaching of John the Baptist in the river Jordan. He who has two give to the one who has nothing “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” (Luke 3:10-11). We can still give to others that sacrificial love like Christ’s own on the Christ. It is still a possibility. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY.