Sunday Gospel Reflection, May 25, 2025: The glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb...

The glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb…
What happens when we embrace’s Jesus’ law of love? 

   Under the leadership of the Apostles and with the help of Paul and Barnabas, the early Church had to make many decisions about what was necessary to live in Christ. In the Acts of the Apostles, one such decision had to do with whether or not Gentiles first had to convert to Judaism before converting to Christianity. At stake were various dietary issues, such as abstaining from meat sacrificed to idols, as well as the question of circumcision. Throughout each difficult conversation, the leaders of the Church needed to remember the one law Jesus left: love. 

   Jesus’ teachings about love, particularly in John’s Gospel, were not always easy to understand, particularly when Jesus spoke of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, which the Father would send, and which would teach them everything and remind them of all that Jesus told them. Jesus needs them to know that once he returns to the Father, to that union of perfect love, they will be able to be with him in that love, in the very center of that love, thanks to the Holy Spirit. It was probably very difficult for Jesus’ disciples to grasp all he was telling them during his Last Supper Discourse, but they must have sensed his invitation, not to a limited space but to a limitless love in him, and embraced it, for they ultimately shared his love with the world. 

   The Book of Revelation reminds us that love in the form of light is to emanate from the New Jerusalem that is the Church: The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb. Likewise, the light of love is to emanate from our lives, with Christ at the core, shining for all the world to see. We are not always transparent. Because we are afraid of vulnerability, we sometimes lose sight of the light within and so we fail to open so that it can shine. But if we are one with Christ through baptism, that light will ultimately shine from within us, so that, as Psalm 67 tells us, God’s way may be known upon the earth, and among all nations, his salvation. How can this happen? If we love Jesus and keep his word, remaining dependent upon God’s grace and upon Christ’s love within us, the glory of God will give us light, light for all the world to see. 

This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture Class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com