Monday in the 5th week of Easter
DAILY GOSPEL COMMENTARY: “WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDMENTS AND OBSERVES THEM IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. (Jn 14:16)”
READING I
Acts 14:5–18
There was an attempt in Iconium by both the Gentiles and the Jews, together with their leaders, to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas. They realized it, and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside, where they continued to proclaim the Good News.
At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth, who had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him, saw that he had the faith to be healed, and called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet.” He jumped up and began to walk about. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in human form.” They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,” because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice.
The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, “Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.” Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
Or: Alleluia.
Non nobis, Dómine, sed nómini tuo da glóriam.
Not to us, O Lord, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
“Where is their God?”
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
Or: Alleluia.
Non nobis, Dómine, sed nómini tuo da glóriam.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
Or: Alleluia.
Non nobis, Dómine, sed nómini tuo da glóriam.
May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the Lord,
but the earth he has given to the children of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
Or: Alleluia.
Non nobis, Dómine, sed nómini tuo da glóriam.
ALLELUIA
Spíritus Sanctus vos docébit ómnia; súggeret vobis ómnia quæcúmque díxero vobis.
The Holy Spirit will teach you all things, and remind you of all I have said to you.
GOSPEL
Jn 14:21–26
Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name — he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”
GOSPEL COMMENTARY
In the Gospel (Jn 14:21-26), Christ promises to the disciples that he will ask the Father to send us another Defender, an Advocate, who is always with us, the Spirit of truth. The Holy Spirit always lives with us and is with us because through faith and baptism we have received and come to know Him.
1. Genuine love for God expresses itself in deeds and in the faithful obedience of His Will.
“ “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.”
(Jn 14: 21).
Jesus wants us to understand what love for God consists in: in the obedience of His Word and commandments.
- He asks from each one of us coherence between our faith and love on the one hand, and our life, on the other for genuine love expresses itself through deeds, and not just sweet words nor sentiments.
- This indispensable idea has been underlined by St. John in other passages of the New Testament: in one passage, St. John reminds us not to “love in word or speech but in deed and in truth” (1 Jn 3:18), and in another, he teaches us that “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 Jn 5:3).
- Loving God consists in the faithful and generous self-giving and obedience to His Will.
Our Lord promises a reward: “And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him (Jn 14:21).”
2. God seeks to be with us always! The Promise of the Holy Spirit
Furthermore, Our Lord Jesus Christ, out of love for us, always seeks to be with us. That is why he promised to send the Holy Spirit.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
- In promising here that through him the Father will send them the Holy Spirit, Jesus is revealing the mystery of the Blessed Trinity.
- Here, Jesus speaks of “another Advocate” for Jesus himself is God’s Advocate (cf 1 Jn 1:21; Heb 7:25). The word “advocate” or “consoler” which is anglicized as “paraclete” etymologically means “called to be beside one” to accompany, console, protect, defend.
Dear brethren in Christ, let us thank the Most Holy Trinity for their immense love for each one of us, seeking always to be with us and in us through the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in our soul in grace, to transform us into other Christs, to accompany, console, help and defend us amidst the difficulties we face in our earthly journey. Let us correspond to God’s enormous love by abiding and keeping His commandments.
Mary, Daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us!
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