Gospel Reflection – 5th Sunday of Easter

Love One Another

Dear brothers and sisters, peace and blessings.

We continue walking the path of Easter—a journey where, each Sunday, we witness the birth and growth of the early Church. Especially in these past Sundays, we’ve seen it through the mission of Peter, Paul, and Barnabas. They teach us that all believers are part of one body, and that we cannot live our faith in isolation. Each one of us, in our own way, is responsible for the salvation of others.

The Acts of the Apostles focuses on this community aspect of faith. Paul and Barnabas, nearing the end of their missionary journey, return to visit the young Christian communities they helped to start. They appoint elders (presbyters) to help structure and strengthen these groups.

Faith is not just something individual. To be a good believer, you must be a good brother or sister. We are called to care about others and their personal and spiritual growth. Someone who only thinks about themselves might be a good person, pious, or religious—but not fully Christian. The elders are there to keep that sense of community alive, especially to guide new members so they can grow in faith and as people.

Growing in faith means understanding that following Christ doesn’t remove suffering. Pain is still part of a believer’s life, but it now has meaning. It’s a painful moment that leads to the Kingdom—that is, to full happiness with God. It’s hard, but with faith, we can come to see suffering this way.

That happiness will be complete in the “new heaven and new earth” we hear about in the second reading. That’s our goal—to work toward it by helping transform the world around us. With the light and strength of the Risen Lord, we can bring life where there is death. His light allows us to look at the world with hope, even when it seems dark. This prophecy is fulfilled in the New Covenant, sealed in Christ’s blood. Everything is being made new.

And the Gospel of John gives us the clear sign that identifies Christians: love. In the setting of His farewell, Jesus leaves His disciples with a kind of final will or spiritual legacy. Saying goodbye isn’t easy for Jesus—He truly loved His friends—but even in sadness, He offers them His most important teaching. He wants His words to become flesh in them—to shape their lives, their thoughts, their hearts: Live by loving and loving one another. That’s what He asked them in His last moments.

In the end, what Jesus asks is not complicated—it’s easy to remember:
“Love one another as I have loved you.”
Because if you love, you become a witness of love, you become generous and compassionate—a true brother to your brothers and a child of the Father, who is Abba, who is Love.

Of course, remembering it is easier than living it. To love “as I have loved you.” As long as there are people in the world, there will be a desire to love one another. Even before Jesus, many poems, books, and songs were written about love. So why haven’t His words—“love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12)—just gotten lost among the rest?

Because He calls us to love as He loves, and He loves us as the Father loves Him (cf. Jn 15:9). And He showed it by example—loving us even to death on a cross. To love like Jesus does isn’t just about feelings—it’s a command, a law from God Himself.

And deep down, we do want to love. From childhood, we dream of building a family, having children, finding meaningful work, being surrounded by friends—all so that we can love. We’re deeply unhappy if we have no one to love.
But the real question is: do we want to love like Christ?

And that’s where the challenge begins. Because Jesus loves those we often consider unlovable. He draws near to people we’ve pushed aside. He sees what we don’t want to see—like the fact that people who think, live, and act differently than us are still people.

Sometimes, between us and Jesus, the Ten Commandments stand in the way. And we look for ways to dodge them or claim they don’t apply anymore—that they belong to another time and don’t fit our 21st-century world. But if we love God, we must also embrace His commandments.

Another question arises: Is Christ-like love even possible for normal people? Does it make sense to talk about this kind of love to people who, just hours later, would abandon Him (cf. Jn 16:32)? To Peter, who would deny Him out of fear? And what about Judas—was he still a friend even in that moment of betrayal?

“I have called you friends…” (Jn 15:15). That includes even those who fail. Jesus’ love often brings us to a spiritual depth that is beyond our full understanding. But He makes it clear:
“I have called you friends, because I told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me—I chose you.” (Jn 15:15–16).
And if He chose us, it means He believes in us. He believes that, even in our struggle to love, we can always lean on Him and trust Him.

This week we celebrated the feast of the apostle Matthias. We might think of him as someone who had to love for two—for himself and for Judas, who walked away from love. Maybe we too are called to step in for someone who said “no.” And that calling is part of God’s great love for the world.

Not long ago, we said goodbye to Pope Francis. Now we have a new pope: Leo XIV. And the first thing he did was echo the words of the Risen Jesus: “Peace be with you!” The chain of love hasn’t been broken—the journey continues. The Son is the love of the Father, and we are the love of the Son in this life we walk together. And if someone rejects this love, then:
“Let another take his place of honor.” (Acts 1:20)

Your brother in faith,