HOMILY OF THE 5TH SUNDAY OF THE EASTER — YEAR C
HOMILY OF THE 5TH SUNDAY OF THE EASTER — YEAR C
HOMILY THEME: THE CROSS AS THE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND GLORY
BY: Fr. Isaac Awe
Acts 14:21-27, Rev 21:1-5, John 13:31-35
In warfare the greatest honour belongs not to those who survive but to those who give the supreme sacrifice of their lives.
There is no gain without pain, there is no salvation without the cross. Therefore, love is painful and hurtful but the end result is joyous and pleasant if and only if it’s real and not deception in the name of loving each other. God’s love is evident in our gospel reading today.
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WHY SHOULD WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER?
• Loving one another is a commandment.
* Loving one another reflects Christ.
* Loving one another is an evidence of Christianity.
* Loving one another is the fulfilment of the law.
* Loving one another is the evidence of God’s very existence
How does God reveal his glory to us? In his Last Supper discourse Jesus speaks of his glory and the glory of his Father. What is this glory? It is the cross which Jesus speaks of here. The cross of Jesus shows us that the greatest glory in life is the glory of willingly sacrificing one’s life for the sake of another. In the cross God reveals the breadth of his great love for sinners and the power of redemption which cancels the debt of sin and reverses the curse of our condemnation. Jesus gave his Father supreme honour and glory through his obedience and willingness to sacrifice his life on the cross.
The greatest trust one can give to their leader is the willingness to obey in the line of duty, even to the point of putting oneself in harm’s way. Jesus also speaks of the Father bringing glory to the Son through the great mystery of the Incarnation and Cross of Christ. God the Father gave us his only begotten Son for our sake, to redeem us from slavery to sin and death. He freely offered his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world.
There is no greater proof of God’s love for us than the Cross of Jesus Christ. In the cross we see a new way of love – a love that is selfless, sacrificial, forgiving and compassionate beyond comprehension. Jesus commands us, his disciples, to love one another just as he has loved us. How can we love one another selflessly, sacrificially, and with compassion? Through the victory of the cross and resurrection, we have access to God’s grace and mercy. God gives us new life through the gift of the Holy Spirit and he fills our hearts with faith, hope, and love. Do we want to bring glory to God in the way we love others?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, your love knows no bounds and your obedience to the Father reverses the curse of our disobedience. May we bring you glory in the sacrifice of our will to the will of the Father and in our love and compassion for others, both for those who treat us well and for those who cause us grief or harm. Amen.
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