John 14:24
“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him."
Sixth Sunday of Easter Readings: Acts, Revelation, John
Reflection:
Our readings for this Sunday reveal the radical, countercultural call of Christianity: to live in love and peace—not the superficial kind, but the real, gritty, divine kind. If being a hippie is about love and peace, then Catholics, through Christ, are the uber hippies. But not by the world’s definition. Jesus redefines love as agape – self-giving, sacrificial, faithful action. Not just emotions or romance. As Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will keep my word,” love is obedience rooted in relationship. To love Jesus means choosing daily discipleship – intentional actions, sacrifices, and the humility to love even when we don’t feel like it.
This love leads to peace – but again, not the world’s shallow version of peace, as in the absence of conflict or a detente. Without addressing underlying issues, such absences quickly end in renewed conflicts. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom; it means right relationship, right relationship with God, with oneself, and with others. When there are right relationships all around, then there is true and lasting peace. Jesus is the source of true peace because He is the reconciliation between heaven and earth.
In the second reading’s vision of the heavenly city, there’s no temple because God and the Lamb dwell with the people. All is in right relationship – perfect peace.
Being Catholic, then, means living out this divine love and peace in a world that worships idols: comfort, consumerism, and self. True discipleship is countercultural. It’s resisting gossip, greed, and indifference. It’s why we gather on Sundays, why we sacrifice, why people should sense something different – right relationship – when they encounter the people of St. James Parish. Discipleship isn’t a trend. It’s a revolution of love. In Christ, we are called not to blend in, but to stand out – as the true lovers and peacemakers of the world.
Reflection Questions
- How do I actively live out love as an intentional action in my daily life, especially when it’s difficult or inconvenient?
- What areas of my life are not in “right relationship” with God or others, and how might Jesus be calling me to restore peace there?
- In what ways am I called to be countercultural as a disciple of Jesus, and how can I more boldly reflect His love and peace in a world that often values the opposite?