FAUSTi - The story shows that Jesus does not suffer the Passion, but directs it consciously and freely. If the strength of evil unleashes its destructive violence against Him, the Lord directs it to accomplish His work. It is just here that the revelation of His glory begins. It is a story that faces our deepest questions: perdition and salvation, hatred and love, the freedom of man and the grace of God, our responsibility and its governance over history. The answer is not given in words, but by new facts which, from a higher perspective, open the way to a still unpublished composition of these dilemmas. "Now the Son of Man was glorified and God was glorified in Him", says Jesus after giving the morsel to Judas, who goes out into the night. This " now" marks the beginning of the " hour " of the glorification of the Son of Man, in which the head of this world is expelled and we finally know "I Am".For Him our perdition becomes a reason to save us and an opportunity to reveal Himself. Jesus, revealing the betrayal, does not intend to denounce the traitor, but instead He offers him His own friendship,even if He knows his negative answer. Jesus, revealing the betrayal, does not intend to denounce the traitor, but instead offers him His friendship, even knowing that he rejects it. In this way He shows his fidelity to his unfaithful friend, in the gratuity of a love that knows no conditions or conditioning. Jesus loves Judas and gives His life for him who betrays Him. After having washed his feet, He made a further gesture of love and communion towards him. It is precisely in his refusal that Scripture is fulfilled and glory is revealed. God is gratuitous Love for every lost person. "I give you a new Commandment: love one another as I have loved you", Jesus says to the disciples. Jesus not only prescribes, but gives a new Commandment. It is not an imposition, but a gift that makes us live our reality as sons and brothers; and it is new because we see for the first time a God who washes our feet and gives us Himself. The cross of Jesus is the exaltation of God as Love stronger than death. This is the definitive exorcism that frees us from all evil. John does not narrate exorcisms, because the narration of the Gospel itself is the exorcism par excellence, which unmasks the lies of the evil one, revealing to man the infinite Love of God for him. We love only if we know that we are loved: we can love because He first loved us. When He says to us that we love "how" He loved us, the adverb "how" indicates not only the way: His love for us, as well as a model, is the source of our mutual love.Love one another as I have loved you" can be translated as "Love one another with the same love with which I have loved you". It is a gift that Jesus leaves to His own: it is His own Life, to be cultivated and guarded. If the flesh of the Son of man raised reveals the glory of God Love, God too will glorify the flesh of the Son of man; and He will glorify it "immediately", on the third day, that of the Resurrection, His and ours. The sign of recognition, evident to all, of the new people and of its election is the mutual love of this type, open to every man, beginning with the enemies. Love is a universal language, comprehensible to every man. We all exist as loved ones and we become adults by being able to love. The fraternal love among us makes the Glory of the Father shine on earth. The life of God circulates in us, Love between Father and Son, offered by the Son to every brother. For this reason, those who do not love their brother are still in death, but, since they are loved by their brothers and sisters with the Love of the Son, they can return to life as Lazarus, the friend whom Jesus loved. In this fraternal love everyone knows what it means to be a disciple of the Son. And everyone will see Him on our face if we love in this way.
Fifth Sunday of Easter Lectionary: 54 Reading 1 ACTS 14:21-27 After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." They appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Responsorial Psalm PS 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13 R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God. or: R. Alleluia. The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God. or: R. Alleluia. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God. or: R. Alleluia. Let them make known your might to the children of Adam, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God. or: R. Alleluia. Reading 2 REV 21:1-5A Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away."
The One who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Alleluia JN 13:34 R. Alleluia, alleluia. I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel JN 13:31-33A, 34-35 When Judas had left them, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER Jesus shows us the way to follow him, the way of love. Christ's commandment is new because he was the first to fulfil it, to give it flesh, and thus the law of love is written once and for all in the heart of man (cf. Jer 31:33). And how is it written? It is written with the fire of the Holy Spirit. And with this same Spirit, which Jesus gives us, we too can walk along this road! Therefore, this Word of the Lord calls us to love one another, even if we do not always understand one another, we do not always get along well... but it is precisely there that Christian love is seen. It is precisely the love of Christ, which the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts, that accomplishes wonders in the Church and in the world every day. There are many small and large gestures that obey the commandment of the Lord: "Love one another as I have loved you". Thanks to the power of this Word of Christ, each of us can be close to our brother and sister whom we meet. Gestures of closeness, of proximity. In these gestures the love that Christ taught us is manifested. (REGINA COELI - Sunday, 10 May
FAUSTi - The story shows that Jesus does not suffer the Passion, but directs it consciously and freely. If the strength of evil unleashes its destructive violence against Him, the Lord directs it to accomplish His work. It is just here that the revelation of His glory begins.
RispondiEliminaIt is a story that faces our deepest questions: perdition and salvation, hatred and love, the freedom of man and the grace of God, our responsibility and its governance over history. The answer is not given in words, but by new facts which, from a higher perspective, open the way to a still unpublished composition of these dilemmas.
"Now the Son of Man was glorified and God was glorified in Him", says Jesus after giving the morsel to Judas, who goes out into the night.
This " now" marks the beginning of the " hour " of the glorification of the Son of Man, in which the head of this world is expelled and we finally know
"I Am".For Him our perdition becomes a reason to save us and an opportunity to reveal Himself.
Jesus, revealing the betrayal, does not intend to denounce the traitor, but instead He offers him His own friendship,even if He knows his negative answer.
Jesus, revealing the betrayal, does not intend to denounce the traitor, but instead offers him His friendship, even knowing that he rejects it.
In this way He shows his fidelity to his unfaithful friend, in the gratuity of a love that knows no conditions or conditioning.
Jesus loves Judas and gives His life for him who betrays Him.
After having washed his feet, He made a further gesture of love and communion towards him. It is precisely in his refusal that Scripture is fulfilled and glory is revealed.
God is gratuitous Love for every lost person.
"I give you a new Commandment: love one another as I have loved you", Jesus says to the disciples.
Jesus not only prescribes, but gives a new Commandment.
It is not an imposition, but a gift that makes us live our reality as sons and brothers; and it is new because we see for the first time a God who washes our feet and gives us Himself.
The cross of Jesus is the exaltation of God as Love stronger than death.
This is the definitive exorcism that frees us from all evil.
John does not narrate exorcisms, because the narration of the Gospel itself is the exorcism par excellence, which unmasks the lies of the evil one, revealing to man the infinite Love of God for him.
We love only if we know that we are loved: we can love because He first loved us.
When He says to us that we love "how" He loved us, the adverb "how" indicates not only the way: His love for us, as well as a model, is the source of our mutual love.Love one another as I have loved you" can be translated as "Love one another with the same love with which I have loved you".
It is a gift that Jesus leaves to His own: it is His own Life, to be cultivated and guarded.
If the flesh of the Son of man raised reveals the glory of God Love, God too will glorify the flesh of the Son of man; and He will glorify it "immediately", on the third day, that of the Resurrection, His and ours.
The sign of recognition, evident to all, of the new people and of its election is the mutual love of this type, open to every man, beginning with the enemies. Love is a universal language, comprehensible to every man.
We all exist as loved ones and we become adults by being able to love.
The fraternal love among us makes the Glory of the Father shine on earth. The life of God circulates in us, Love between Father and Son, offered by the Son to every brother.
For this reason, those who do not love their brother are still in death, but, since they are loved by their brothers and sisters with the Love of the Son, they can return to life as Lazarus, the friend whom Jesus loved.
In this fraternal love everyone knows what it means to be a disciple of the Son.
And everyone will see Him on our face if we love in this way.
Fifth Sunday of Easter
RispondiEliminaLectionary: 54
Reading 1 ACTS 14:21-27
After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news
to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the kingdom of God."
They appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Responsorial Psalm PS 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2 REV 21:1-5A
Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away."
The One who sat on the throne said,
"Behold, I make all things new."
Alleluia JN 13:34
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel JN 13:31-33A, 34-35
When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
RispondiEliminaJesus shows us the way to follow him, the way of love. Christ's commandment is new because he was the first to fulfil it, to give it flesh, and thus the law of love is written once and for all in the heart of man (cf. Jer 31:33). And how is it written? It is written with the fire of the Holy Spirit. And with this same Spirit, which Jesus gives us, we too can walk along this road! Therefore, this Word of the Lord calls us to love one another, even if we do not always understand one another, we do not always get along well... but it is precisely there that Christian love is seen. It is precisely the love of Christ, which the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts, that accomplishes wonders in the Church and in the world every day. There are many small and large gestures that obey the commandment of the Lord: "Love one another as I have loved you". Thanks to the power of this Word of Christ, each of us can be close to our brother and sister whom we meet. Gestures of closeness, of proximity. In these gestures the love that Christ taught us is manifested. (REGINA COELI - Sunday, 10 May