Contents: Volume 2

6th SUNDAY of EASTER (B)

- 5/5/2024

1. -- Lanie LeBlanc OP
2. -- Dennis Keller
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4. --(Your reflection can be here!)

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6th Sunday of Easter 2024

The readings this Sunday center of the theme of love. We read/hear the words of Jesus: "This I command you: love one another." This is NOT a suggestion but a command, and not an easy one, especially in the context of laying down our lives!

What does that mean especially since there are many types of love? Let's look at some closely related words for love such as appreciated, cared about, and valued. Listing ways to think of others first and then yourself is a way to look at how that view of love is received and given.

Everyone's list of characteristics of love will vary, but there are some things in common. Near the top of the list is surely that the person showing love will give the other time and attention. Now that is a pretty reasonable thing to start with even with those people whom we find are hard to love.

Another top of the list item is probably that the person listens to the other and tries to understand another's point of view or situation, even if there is some disagreement in the air. That one is a lot harder but still possible if and when we can be more interested than judgmental.

Then there is tough love. Setting firm boundaries in a carefully thought out way is often a necessary way to think of the other person kindly as well as yourself. All of these characteristics (and others as well from your own list) indicate that the other is cared about and valued in ways that help us embrace this command in many different situations.

One other thing... sometimes how someone else perceives love is very different than the way we do. For instance, fixing things for someone might make that someone feel loved, but for someone else NOT fixing things but allowing the person to fix it independently might be what is needed and viewed as loving.

Love is tricky that way. That is why all love flows through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes the command to love possible... and keeps the world going 'round. Come, Holy Spirit!

Blessings,
Dr. Lanie LeBlanc OP
Southern Dominican Laity
lanie@leblanc.one

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Sixth Sunday of Easter May 5, 2024

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, & 44-48; Responsorial Psalm 98;
1St John 4:7-10; Gospel Acclamation John 14:23; John 15:9-17

The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles starts midway in a narrative about Cornelius, the God-fearing Centurion of the Italian cohort. Cornelius was righteous, caring for the people he was charged to keep peaceful. His whole household were almsgivers and God fearing as well. Peter, in Joppa, was in prayer after resuscitating the righteous woman, Tabitha. Tabitha was a respected woman in the community at Joppa. Her death caused universal grief in that Christian community. She was known for making cloaks and shawls for widows among other good works.

Peter falls into a trance. In his vision he sees a huge sheet descending from heaven, containing all sorts of four-footed animals, birds of the air, and snakes. Peter hears a command to slaughter and eat. Peter objects, saying that never in his life has any common or unclean food passed his lips. Peter hears an answer, “What God has cleansed you stop making unclean.”

Peter is summoned to the house of Cornelius in Caesarea. Peter understands the message of the trance and his summoning. He understands associating with Gentiles will not make him unclean. Peter puts this understanding in his words: “God shows no partiality.” God does not judge by appearances: not the color of a person’s skin, their language, their nationality, their socio-economic status. All persons are God’s concern. In efforts to consider ourselves better than others, we often judge by appearances. Rarely has it anything to do with rational thought. Such judgments are hard wired in us through culture, through tradition, through nurturing in family and community. Thus, racism and the feelings of racial superiority continue. It takes divine power to overcome racism, nationalism, cultural differences. The diversity we encounter can enrich lives. Or it can produce a hubris that keeps us separate and off-putting. John’s gospel, proclaimed this Sunday, teaches us to accept persons and cultures different from our own. Diversity enriches lives. We must have a change of heart to enjoy that enrichment.

Confirmation of the equality of even Roman occupiers opens followers of Jesus to accept all nations as equal followers of the Lord. The story of Cornelius, his family, relatives, and friends is completed by the Holy Spirit overshadowing all who heard Peter’s preaching. They began speaking in tongues and glorifying God. And so begins the evangelization of all nations as foretold in Isaiah.

In the Gospel, we learn what power overcomes the tendency to judge. Such judgments focus on discovering what makes the other less than we. Discovering a person’s flaws is an effort to ignore our flaws – even though the flaws discovered in the other are often our flaws as well. If the flaws are significant, we have a reason to hate, to create a scapegoat on which to heap misfortunes, violence, crime and whatever is negative and failure in our living. Thus, immigrants struggling to make a life for themselves and their families are blamed for everything. Even though the facts deny the truth of such accusations.

Jesus gives us a command, a very straightforward demand for how to live. “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. REMAIN IN MY LOVE.” There is no room in Jesus’ love for hatred, for discrimination, for denial of dignity and worth to anyone. Only love can thrive/survive in the Love Jesus extends to us. And the love of Jesus is the love the Father has for Jesus. It is a love that is committed to us even to the point of torture and death. To initiate this change in our hearts, we must become mindful of the false judgment before we take action on it. This takes a lot of practice and patience with ourselves.

The narrative in the first reading is the first step for the follower of Jesus accepting those not circumcised. The fight isn’t over with these words of Jesus. But for those who hear the words and take them to heart this is clearly the opening salvo creating the Kingdom of Heaven. The question remains: are we willing to be righteous as was Cornelius and his household. It is worthwhile and effective, this fight with the counter kingdom of Satan.

Dennis Keller Dennis@PreacherExchange.com

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Volume 2 is for you. Your thoughts, reflections, and insights on the next Sundays readings can influence the preaching you hear. Send them to preacherexchange@att.net. Deadline is Wednesday Noon. Include your Name, and Email Address.

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