REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR B

REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR B

HOMILY THEME: FAVOURITES: THE MEASURE OF LOVE?

BY: Fr. Anthony Chukwuebuka Ohaekwusi

A friend walked up to me after mass one day and jokingly suggested that the correct version of a statement in today’s gospel should be; “A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his enemies, and not his friends”. He said this because dying for one’s enemy is a greater sacrifice than dying for one’s friends. Therefore, the measure of love should not be based on what people do for their favourites.

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This thought came to mind as I was going through this Sunday readings. We often use the word “favourites” to express our preferences for people or things. We speak of a favourite child, favourite parent, favourite friend, favourite movie, favourite food, favourite drink, favourite colour, favourite team etc. This favouritism demonstrates the measure of love we have for a particular person or thing, through an attitude of comparison that makes us prefer one thing over another. This attitude drives us to love one thing more and the other less. This is why we are able to make and maintain friendships and fall in love with one rather than the other. But can the same be said of God’s love for his friends?

In the first reading, Peter said: “God has no favourites”, because everyone is his favourite. He gave his life for all of us, his friends, because he has no enemies. He does not love one to hate another, and does not hate one to love another. His love is perfect and knows no gradations. It is this love that makes everyone do the right thing.

At the beginning of the first Covid lockdown, I rushed to the shops with my friend to buy food and other essentials. Of course, there was panic buying. When we got to the cereal section, it was empty, but luckily my friend managed to get a pack. We quickly bought other things and were about to go home when we noticed a woman in the cereal section with her young child, looking worried and disappointed because she couldn’t get one for her family. My friend quickly gave the woman our only cereal and she thanked him with great relief on her face. I was surprised by his actions, so I asked him, “why did you do that, can’t you see we’re all in this situation together? And he replied, “Of course we are all in this together, but the little boy will cry if he doesn’t eat cereal tonight, you won’t cry if you don’t eat cereal”. It was very amazing that my friend was willing to sacrifice for a stranger and not for me. I wondered if I was still his favourite.

Love is not about favouring someone, but about doing good for someone. This is why Jesus commands us to love one another as He has loved us. The love of the Father, who sacrificed His Son to save us from sin and shame, remains the source of true and unconditional love. The measure of love is “loving without measure.” Love is realized not in the good of our preference, but in our preference for good. For when we sacrifice for all, there are no favourites, because everyone is favoured.

Remain lifted and do have a great Sunday

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