Fifth Sunday of Easter – 18th May 2025
From the very beginning of his public ministry, Jesus challenged everyone’s expectations of what sort of Messiah he would be. He would not conform to the image of a political king who would overthrow the Roman empire and start a new regime.
The Kingdom of God that he would usher in would be one that was never thought of, seen or experienced before. It would not be based on power, prestige or politics. It would not be based on wealth, influence or importance. In fact, it would be the very opposite to all these. The foundation of the Kingdom of God is love and service.
Jesus came with a very new and radical message; He came to proclaim the Good News to the poor. At the time of Jesus, those who were poor or sick in any way were seen as sinners who were outside the scope of God’s love and attention. The way Jesus treated and spoke to those who were sick or poor not only challenged the established religious leaders, it also annoyed and angered them. The message and word of God that Jesus proclaimed then and offers us now is new, challenging and still very radical.
Sometimes it can be a struggle to understand what Jesus means when he speaks to us, especially when he uses the language, images and symbols often found in his parables. However, this is not the case today with this Sunday’s gospel. The command from Jesus; love one another just as I love you, is very clear, direct, straightforward and requires no debate or discussion. Secondly, it is a command that connects us closely to others; to those around us. This means those in our families and those we know and meet in our Christian community. Jesus does not say, put up with each other, tolerate each other, like each or get along with each other. He is very clear; we are to love each other.