"Just as I have loved you,

you also must love another."

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

 Acts 14:21-27

 After proclaiming the gospel

In that town and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and on to Antioch.   They were strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, for they said, “We must go through many trials to enter the Kingdom of God.”   In each church they appointed elders and, after praying and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had placed their faith.

 Then they traveled through Pisi­dia, and came to Pamphylia.   They preached the Word in Perga and went down to Attalia.   From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been commended to God’s gracefor the task they had now completed.

On their arrival they gathered the Church together and told them all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the non-Jews.

 

Ps 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13

I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Revelation 21:1-5a

 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had passed away and no longer was there any sea.   I saw the new Jerusalem, the holy city coming down from God, out of heaven, adorned as a bride prepared for her husband.   A loud voice came from the throne, “Here is the dwelling of God among mortals: He will pitch his tent among them and they will be his peo­ple; he will be God-with-them.

 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death or mourning, crying out or pain, for the world that was has passed away.”   The One seated on the throne said, “See, I make all things new.”

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊      

John 13:31-33a, 34-35

 When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him.  God will glorify him, and he will glorify him very soon.

My children, I am with you for only a little while; you will look for me, but, as I already told the Jews, so now I tell you: where I am going you cannot come.

 Now I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another. .

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

The missionary passion of Paul and Barnabas brings the gospel to wider regions, especially to the non-Jews. John sees God pitching his tent amidst human beings to wipe away tears from their eyes and make everything new. Jesus gives the “new commandment.”

Reflect:

What is so new about the “new commandment?” In essence, it does not seem different from the “old. Deut. 6:4 spoke of loving God with one’s entire being and Lev 19:18 spoke of loving one’s neighbor as oneself; and Jesus reaffirmed them as the “great commandment” (cf. Mt. 22:37-40).

Yet, the “new commandment” is definitely new in terms of its model, scope, and semiotic value: We shall do this loving as Jesus has done – “Just as I have loved you, you must…..”If, in the Leviticus the “neighbor” applied tribalistically to members of one’s own group, here Jesus leaves it open – ended, to include even our enemies (cf. Mt. 5:44; LK 10:25-37).

Finally ,love of such scope modelled after Jesus shall be the sign by which the world know a Christain.

Pray:

Pray for the grace to love until it hurts, as recommended by St. Teresa of Kollata.

Act:

Reach out and mend a broken relationship today.