Fifth Sunday C of Easter John 13, 31-35

Today’s Gospel is not a legend. At the farewell supper with the disciples, after Judas has gone to betray Jesus, Jesus says to the apostles, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. That you also love one another as I have loved you. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (Jn 13:34-35).
The Easter season reminds us of the severe demands that Jesus expects of us. Among them is the command to love one another. Before His ascension, the Lord Jesus gives His apostles knowledge about how they are to act at that time, and He expresses it in words, “That you also love one another, just as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). Jesus calls these words “the new commandment.” It means that the disciples are to continue in the style of Jesus’ life and activity. It is a challenging ideal to which we are all called by Jesus. These words of Jesus cannot be realized unless one truly puts oneself into the game of life. The identifying sign is simple but challenging. But those who have known the love of the Lord Jesus in their skin, in their own lives, who live out of this love, who accept it, who understand it, have understood these words of Jesus. Whoever has understood these words and has taken them as his own can more efficiently and more than anyone else implement them in his life.

St. John the Apostle wrote: “I have seen new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. And I saw a holy city coming down out of heaven from God, the New Jerusalem” (Rev. 21:1-2). We know why Jesus came into the world, why He became like us in human flesh. Jesus wants us to cooperate with him in our salvation. We have closed the first heaven to ourselves through sin. Jesus, by his death, opens heaven for us. Having received the Holy Spirit, we are to cooperate with his graces to merit participation in the New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God. In Scripture, we encounter categories that we are to know and arrange our lives accordingly. The new image of heaven that Jesus presents to us when we love one another, that “… by this, all will know that you are my disciples” (Jn 13:35), awakens in our hearts’ commitment, hope, and love. The words of Jesus are a source of energy for our life when God is our Father, whose heart is full of love and mercy. Jesus, at his ascension, promised us that he was coming to prepare a place for us. The old image of heaven causes us to fear the greatness and holiness of God. In the Old Testament, Isaiah cries out: “Woe is me, yes, I am lost. For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among men of unclean lips” (Isaiah. 6:5). Similarly, before accepting Jesus as his Redeemer and Savior, Peter says to him: “Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinful man” (Lk. 5:8). Jesus had to convince Peter and the apostles that He came into the world for the weak and sinful, not to those who think they have no sins and do not need God’s help. New earth arises in us when we believe in the love of God and begin to respond to His love with our lives. Words alone are not enough: “Faith without works is dead” (Jes 2:26). God wants us to build a “new earth” by accepting the “new commandment” by living a life of love among ourselves.

New earth must be built up in everyone who has believed in Christ. Life events tell us that it is not enough to be born into a Christian family, and it is not enough to be a believer as a child or only sometimes when it suits me. At baptism, the seed of faith was planted in our souls. The growth is given to us by God. None of us knows when the harvest – death – will come for us. We must work on the role of our faith. It is impossible to live alone in life. Interpersonal relationships are often tricky, unpleasant, and challenging. Not only do others have faults, shortcomings, commit mistakes, and sins, but each of us. That is why we are obliged to forgive each other. Jesus teaches us to implement the command to love one another in our lives. We understand that Jesus’ words about this command are still valid today. They have not lost their meaning. We must keep them if we want to be saved.
A look at Jesus says that he first acted and then spoke. First, he forgives sins, and when he speaks of love. Let us remember Zacchaeus. Jesus gives his life for us and thus does not just talk about love.

Those who want to speak of love must mature in it. It is not something that can be rehearsed. Developing in love grows out of knowing God personally to us. Love, according to the gospel, is not ignorant and blind. It is undoubtedly related to knowledge. We realize that Jesus-style love is not based on a declared truth but a proper attitude. Thus, Jesus teaches us to love even when our love is not reciprocated, even at the sacrifice of our own lives.
When the Turk Mehmet Ali Agca assassinated Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981, we know that the Pope was not angry with his murderer, but he came to visit him in prison later that year that he loved him.
On May 4, 1998, a tragedy happened. A member of the Swiss Guard, Cédric Tornay, shot his superior, Lieutenant Colonel Alois Estermann, his wife, and then shot himself as well. It was out of jealousy. We know that the murdered man’s family also came to his funeral. Why? To tell them not to be angry with him. These believers know the words: “Everyone angry with his brother will go to judgment” (Mt. 5:22).
We know that we are to love one another. There is no need for anyone to remind us of this. But we also know how difficult it is to love our neighbor. To love those who are different from us. It is true that if all people were as we want them to be, we would have no difficulty loving them. However, we know that this will never be the situation on earth. And that is why, at Easter time, Jesus’ words are timely, and it is convenient to take note of them and arrange ourselves accordingly. Judas leaves the Upper Room to betray him, but Jesus doesn’t stop loving him. Jesus loved us to the uttermost.
We will meet many little Judases in our lives, too. Shall we stop loving them? Do we become Judases ourselves, and do others have to stop loving us? We should want to beg for true love, both for God, our neighbors, and ourselves. We realize that Jesus wants us to renounce hatred, evil retaliation, aggression, judgments… After Mass, we return to ordinary life. To people who may not respond to our love with love but with sin. We must not and do not want to hate them and follow them in sin. Therefore, let us ask the Eucharistic Christ for the strength to persevere in sound, in love.

Quo Vadis? Where are you going? The mother, from the opening of the sermon, loves her daughter. Brother loves brother. This is what Jesus expects of us.