Reflection/Homily: Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C (April 28 2013)
Theme: Putting on an Behaviour of love
There was this story we were told at the minor seminary a few years ago. Three priests went to visit a sick male member of their parish in the hospital. After their visit, the little daughter was describing the priests to the mum. She told the mum that a priest, a gentleman and a “guy man” visited. She described the priest in Soutane as a priest, the one in clerical suit as a gentleman and the one in a good pair of jeans with a nice T-shirt with canvas to match as a “guy man”.
This little girl only gave a description of images she was popular with. Thus, she implemented an old rule which says: “You are addressed the way you dress”. This old rule is what Jesus is emphasizing in the gospel reading (John 13:31-33.34-35) but in a different dimension. Though we may be described and judged by our code of dressing, our code of conduct speaks more about us. In other words, it is our behaviour that defines us the more.
That is why in other to let the world identify and define his disciples, Jesus gave them a new commandment, a new code of conduct or we may say, he prescribed a new behaviour for them. This new behaviour would be for them, an identity card which they will not need to put on on request but which will be evident everywhere they go and in everything they do. This new commandment is nothing but love for one another just as God loved us.
What could be the basis of this love? In what sense could this love be new? When we consider the old commandment of loving only those who love us, we come to understand the basis of this love and how new it is to the Jews and even to us. Naturally, we are more inclined to receive and reciprocate love than to offer love. More still, there is always the tendency to love only those who have acquired the credentials to be qualified for our love. Such could be our family members and friends.