Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis
with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C - May 19, 2019.
Readings:
Acts 14:21-27; Ps 145:8-9.10-11.12-13; Rev. 21:15a & Gospel – John
13:31-33a.34-35.
Theme:
The Burden of Love!
Introduction
Friends in Christ, on this Sunday, our liturgy
challenges on the demands of love. Titled “The Burden of Love,” our reflection
highlights five responsibilities of the Christian life namely, following Jesus’
commandment of love, practicing prayer, readiness to accept suffering for the
sake of Christ, embracing the challenge to serve the community through the
recognition of everyone as a disciple of Christ and proclaiming Christ without
fear or favour.
Background
& Summary of the Readings
The first reading (Acts 14:21-27) recounts how Paul and
Barnabas went round Lystra, Iconium and Antioch encouraging the faithful to
persevere in the face of persecution. They noted that hardship is a necessary
condition to enjoying eternal life. For continuity and strengthening of the
faith, they appointed elders through prayer and fasting, commending them to the
Lord. Traversing through Pisidia, Pamphylia, Perga and Attalia, they carried
out their missionary mandate in love despite the troubles; they assembled the
faithful and told how they opened the door of faith to the gentiles.
In the second reading (Rev. 21:15a), as usual John in his
apocalypse sees the new heaven and new earth – the holy city, the New
Jerusalem. He notes that there, God makes his home among humans as he is their
God and they his people. He recounts
that there are no human afflictions like tears, dead, mourning, sadness or pain
there noting that he is making a new creation; he maintains that what he is
saying is trustworthy and would come true.
The
gospel reading (John
13:31-33a.34-35) narratives how after the departure of
Judas, Jesus told his companions that the Son of Man would be glorified. After
revealing his impending passion, he gave them a new commandment with the charge
to love one another as he has loved them noting: “It is by your love for one
another, that everyone will recognize you as my disciples.” The question is,
what is the connection between his death and the new commandment? This leads us
to the burden of love story.
The Burden of Love: A
Narrative
The story is told of a boy who had three major
challenges – He was a dwarf, had a hunchback and could not walk. Because of
these disabilities, his younger brother had to always carry him to school. Each
time they were going to school, all eyes were on them. The pathetic side of the
story was that, other pupils usually boo at them on their way to school.
One day, they were late to school and the younger
brother had to increase his steps to catch up with the 7:45 am School Assembly.
But because his older brother was heavy, he could not keep a good pace. Other
pupils who came running started jeering at them again. This time around, one of
them said: “What a burden you are carrying.” The smiling young man replied: “He
is not a burden, he is my brother.” This touching story reveals the burden of
love.
Practical Lessons
1. The
encouraging message of Paul and Barnabas to the Christian communities in
Lystra, Iconium and Antioch that they should persevere in the face of
persecution serves as a boaster to contemporary Christians who are constantly
taunted for their faith.
2. By stressing that hardship
is a necessary condition to enjoying eternal life, they apostles give us
quality assurance that our current challenges in life are nothing compared to
the crown of glory we shall receive at the end of time as evident in the
apocalypse of John in the second reading.
3. By opening the door
of faith to the gentiles, the apostles teach us how to open new vistas for
others who have not yet heard the Good News based on the Great Commission in
Matthew 28:16-20.
4. The popular saying
“Every disappointment is a blessing” comes to the fore in the life of Jesus
because we are told that it was the devilish plot and departure of Judas which
gave way to Jesus’ glorification.
