Catechism Links
CCC 2746-2751: Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper
CCC 459, 1823, 2074, 2196, 2822, 2842: “as I have loved you”
CCC 756, 865, 1042-1050, 2016, 2817: a new heavens and a new earth
CCC Cross Reference:
Acts 14:22 556, 2847
Ps 145:9 295, 342
Rv 21:1-22,5 117; Rv 21:1-2 756; Rv 21:1 1043; Rv 21:2-4 677; Rv 21:2 757, 1045, 2016; Rv 21:3 756, 2676; Rv 21:4 1044, 1186; Rv 21:5 1044
Jn 13:34 782, 1823, 343, 2195, 2822, 2842
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Reading 1
Acts 14:21-27
After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news
to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the kingdom of God.”
They appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading II
Rev 21:1-5a
Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away.”
The One who sat on the throne said,
“Behold, I make all things new.”
Gospel
Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35
When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Acts 14:21 – 27
Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, Paul and Barnabas went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.
They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.
On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 144(145):8-13a
Second reading
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, ‘You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.’
Then the One sitting on the throne spoke: ‘Now I am making the whole of creation new’ he said. ‘Write this: that what I am saying is sure and will come true.’
Gospel John 13:31 – 35
When Judas had gone Jesus said:
‘Now has the Son of Man been glorified,
and in him God has been glorified.
If God has been glorified in him,
God will in turn glorify him in himself,
and will glorify him very soon.
‘My little children,
I shall not be with you much longer.
You will look for me,
And, as I told the Jews,
where I am going, you cannot come.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another;
just as I have loved you,
you also must love one another.
By this love you have for one another,
everyone will know that you are my disciples.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
5th Sunday of Easter
From: Acts 14:21-27
The Return Journey to Antioch
--------------------------------------------
[21] When they had preached the Gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, [22] strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God. [23] And when had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed.
[24] Then they passed through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. [25] And when they had spoken the Word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; [26] and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. [27] And when they arrived, they gathered the Church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
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Commentary:
20-22. "If you accept difficulties with a faint heart you lose joy and your peace, and you run the risk of not deriving spiritual profit from the trial" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 696).
St. Paul is not cowed by persecution and physical suffering. He knows that this crisis is the prelude to abundant spiritual fruit, and in fact many people in this region do embrace the Gospel.
Even though St. Luke records the progress and success of the Word of God, he also shows that its preachers certainly encounter the cross (cf. 13:14, 50). The Gospel meets with acceptance everywhere--and also with opposition. "Where there are many laurels", St. Ambrose says, "there is fierce combat. It is good for you to have persecutors: that way you attain more rapid success in your enterprises" ("Expositio in Ps 118", 20, 43).
The Apostles have no difficulty in pointing to events to show the disciples that suffering and difficulties form part of Christian living.
"Cross, toil, anguish: such will be your lot as long as you live. That was the way Christ went, and the disciple is not above his master" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 699). "Each of us has at some time or other experienced that serving Christ our Lord involves suffering and hardship; to deny this would imply that we had not yet found God [...]. Far from discouraging us, the difficulties we meet have to spur us on to mature as Christians. This fight sanctifies us and gives effectiveness to our apostolic endeavors" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 28 and 216).
23. The appointment of elders in each church means that Christians were invested with a ministry of government and religious worship, by a liturgical rite of ordination. These have a share in the hierarchical and priestly ministry of the Apostles, from whom their own ministry derives.
"The ministry of priests [...]", Vatican II teaches, "shares in the authority by which Christ Himself builds up and sanctifies and rules His Body" ("Presbyterorum Ordinis", 2). The ministerial office of priests is essential to the life of every Christian community, which draws its strength from the Word of God and the Sacraments. Their priesthood, derived from our Lord, is essentially different from what is called the "priesthood common to all the faithful".
A man becomes a priest of the New Testament through a special calling from God. "Our vocation," John Paul II told a huge gathering of priests in Philadelphia, "is a gift from the Lord Jesus Himself. It is a personal, individual calling: we have been called by our name, just as Jeremiah was" ("Homily at the Civic Center", 4 October 1979).
The priestly life is a sublime vocation which cannot be delegated or transferred to anyone else. It is a lifelong vocation and means that one has to give himself entirely to God--and this he can do, with the help of grace, because "we do not claim back our gift once given. It cannot be that God, who gave us the impulse to Yes, should now desire to hear us say No....
"It should not surprise the world that God's calling through the Church should continue, offering us a celibate ministry of love and service according to our Lord Jesus Christ's example. This calling from God touched the very depths of our being. And after centuries of experience the Church knows how appropriate it is that priests should respond in this specific way in their lives, to demonstrate the totality of the Yes they have said to our Lord" ("Ibid.").
"Since He wishes that no one be saved who has not first believed (cf. Mark 16: 16), priests, like the co-workers of the bishops that they are, have as their first duty to proclaim to all men the Gospel of God" (Vatican II, "Presbyterorum Ordinis", 4). To carry out this mission well, a priest needs to be in contact with our Lord all the time--"a personal, living encounter--with eyes wide open and a heart beating fast--with the risen Christ" John Paul II, "Homily in Santo Domingo Catedral", 26 January 1979).
Reminding priests of their special duty to be witnesses to God in the modern world, John Paul II invites them not only to bear in mind the Christian people, from whom they come and whom they must serve, but also people at large; they should not hide the fact that they are priests: "Do not help the trends towards 'taking God off the streets' by yourselves adopting secular modes of dress and behavior" ("Address at Maynooth University", 1 October 1979).
24-26. Paul and Barnabas return to Syrian Antioch, taking in the cities they have visited--in reverse order: Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, Pisidian Antioch and Perga. At the port of Attalia they take ship for Syria and arrive shortly afterwards in Antioch. Their journey, which began around the year 45, has taken four years.
Despite the animosity and persecution they experienced in these cities, the two missionaries do not avoid returning. They want to complete arrangements for the government of the new churches and to consolidate the faith of the disciples. The possible risks involved do not cause them any concern.
"Whosoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:35). "These are mysterious and paradoxical words," John Paul II writes. "But they cease to be mysterious if we strive to put them into practice. Then the paradox disappears and we can plainly see the deep simplicity of their meaning. To all of us this grace is granted in our priestly life and in our zealous service" ("Letter to All Priests", 8 April 1979, 5).
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From: Revelation 21:1-5a
A New World Comes Into Being. The New Jerusalem
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. [2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; [3] and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; [4] he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."
[5a] And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."
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Commentary:
1-4. The prophet Isaiah depicted the messianic times as a radical change in the fortunes of the people of Israel--so radical that, as he put it, God was going to create new heavens and a new earth, a new Jerusalem full of joy, where the sound of weeping would never more be heard, where God would make himself plain for all to see and where everything would be as it was in paradise before sin (cf. Is 65:12-25). The author of the Apocalypse uses this same format to describe the future Kingdom of God. The imagery of a new heaven and a new earth (taken in a physical sense) was very much in vogue in Jewish writing around the time of the Apocalypse (cf. 1 Enoch 72:1; 91:16), and is probably reflected also in 2 Peter 3:10-13 and Matthew 19:28. Scripture nowhere indicates what form the new heaven and the new earth will take. However, what is clear is that there will be a radical "renewal" of the present cosmos, contaminated as it is by the sin of man and the powers of evil (cf. Gen 2:8-3:24; Rom 8:9-13); through this renewal all creation will be "recapitulated" in Christ (cf. Eph 1:10; Col 1:16:20). No reference is made to the sea, probably because in Jewish literature it symbolized the abyss, the abode of demonic powers hostile to God.
Those who will inhabit this new world (symbolized by the Holy City, the new Jerusalem) are the entire assembly of the saved, the entire people of God (cf. vv. 12- 14)--a holy people disposed to live in loving communion with God (as reflected by the image of the adorned bride: cf. vv. 2, 9). The promise of a new covenant (Ezek 37:27) will be fulfilled to the letter: God will see to it that none of the evil, suffering or pain found in this world will find its way into the new world.
This passage of the Book of Revelation strengthens the faith and hope of the Church--not only St John's own generation but all generations down the ages for as long as the Church makes its way through this valley of tears. The Second Vatican Council says: "We know neither the moment of the consummation of the earth and of man nor the way the universe will be transformed. The form of this world, distorted by sin, is passing away and we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, whose happiness will fill and surpass all the desires of peace arising in the hearts of men. Then with death conquered the children of God will be raised in Christ and what was sown in weakness and dishonor will put on the imperishable: charity and its work will remain, and all of creation which God made for man, will be set free from its bondage to decay" ("Gaudium Et Spes", 39).
5-8. For the first and only time in the entire book God himself speaks. He does so as absolute Lord of all, to ratify what has just been expounded. While the author and his readers are still in this world of suffering, God affirms that he--even now--is creating a new world. There is, then, a connection between present human suffering and the future world which is taking shape thanks to the mercy of God.
Although that new world will emerge in its complete form on the last day, the renewal of all things has already begun; it began with the life, death and resurrection of Christ. "The kingdom of life has begun," St Gregory of Nyssa teaches, "and the empire of death has been undone. Another generation, another life, another way of loving has made its appearance: our very nature is being transformed. What type of generation am I referring to? A generation which results not from blood or carnal love or human love, but from God. Are you wondering how that can be? I shall explain it in a few words. This new creature is begotten by faith; the regeneration of Baptism brings it to birth; the Church, its nurse, weans it by her teaching and institutions and nourishes it with her heavenly bread. This new creature matures through holiness of life; its marriage is marriage with Wisdom; its children, hope; its home, the Kingdom; its inheritance and its riches, the delights of paradise; its final destiny is not death, but eternal and joyful life in the dwelling-place of the saints" ("Oratio I In Christi Resurrectionem"). We should remember that "the Kingdom is mysteriously present here on earth; when the Lord comes it will enter into its perfection" ("Gaudium Et Spes", 39).
The promise of a world to come is so sure that although that world has not achieved its full perfection, it can be categorically stated that it is a promise "already kept"--"It is done": God himself, the Lord of history guarantees it (cf. note on Rev 1:8)....
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From: John 13:31-33a, 34-35
The New Commandment
------------------------------------
[31] When he (Judas Iscariot) had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in Him God is glorified; [32] if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him at once. [33] Little children, yet a little while I am with you. [34] A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [35] By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."
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Commentary:
31-32. This glorification refers above all to the glory which Christ will receive once He is raised up on the cross (John 3:14; 12:32). St. John stresses that Christ's death is the beginning of His victory: His very crucifixion can be considered the first step in His ascension to His Father. At the same time it is glorification of the Father, because Christ, by voluntarily accepting death out of love, as a supreme act of obedience to the Will of God, performs the greatest sacrifice man can offer for the glorification of God. The Father will respond to this glorification which Christ offers Him by glorifying Christ as Son of Man, that is, in His holy human nature, through the His resurrection and ascension to God's right hand. Thus the glory which the Son gives the Father is at the same time glory for the Son.
Christ's disciple will also find His highest motivation by identifying himself with Christ's obedience. St. Paul teaches this very clearly when he says: "Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14).
33. From this verse onwards the evangelist recounts what is usually called the discourse of the Last Supper; in it we can distinguish three parts. In the first, our Lord begins by proclaiming the New Commandment (verses 33-35) and predicts Peter's denials (verses 36-38); He tells them that His death means His going to the Father (Chapter 4), with Whom He is one because He is God (verses 1-14); and He announces that after His resurrection He will send them the Holy Spirit, who will guide them by teaching them and reminding them of everything He told them (verses 15-31).
The second part of the discourse is contained in Chapters 15 and 16. Jesus promises to those who believe in Him a new life of union with Him, as intimate as that of a vine and its branches (15:1-18). To attain this union one must keep His New Commandment (verses 9-17). He forewarns them about the contradictions they will suffer, and He encourages them by promising the Holy Spirit who will protect them and console them (verses 18-27). The action of the Paraclete or Consoler will lead them to fulfill the mission Jesus has entrusted to them (16:1- 15). The fruit of the presence of the Holy Spirit will be fullness of joy (verses 16- 33).
The third part (Chapter 7) gives Jesus' priestly prayer, in which He asks the Father to glorify Him through the cross (verses 1-5). He prays also for His disciples (verses 6-19) and for all those who through them will believe in Him, so that, staying in the world without being of the world, the love of God should be in them and they should bear witness to Christ being the envoy of the Father (verses 20- 26).
34-35. After announcing that He is leaving them (verse 33), Christ summarizes His commandments in one--the New Commandment. He will repeat it a number of times during the discourse of the Supper (cf. John 15:12, 17), and St. John in his First Letter will insist on the need to practice this commandment of the Lord and on the demands it implies (cf. 1 John 2:8; 3:7-21).
Love of neighbor was already commanded in the Old Testament (cf. Leviticus 19: 18)--and Jesus ratified this when He specified that it was the second precept of the whole Law and similar to the first: Love God will all your heart and soul and mind (cf. Matthew 22:37-40). But Jesus gives the precept of brotherly love new meaning and content by saying "even as I have loved you". The love of neighbor called for by the Old Law did also in some way extend to one's enemies (Exodus 23:4-5); however, the love which Jesus preaches is much more demanding and includes returning good for evil (cf. Matthew 5:43-44), because Christian love is measured not by man's heart but by the heart of Christ, who gives up His life on the cross to redeem all men (cf. 1 John 4:9-11). Here lies the novelty of Jesus' teaching, and our Lord can rightly say that it is His commandment, the principal clause in His last will and testament.
Love of neighbor cannot be separated from love of God: "The greatest commandment of the law is to love God with one's whole heart and one's neighbor as oneself (cf. Matthew 22:37-40). Christ has made this love of neighbor His personal commandment and has enriched it with a new meaning when He willed Himself, along with His brothers, to be the object of this charity, saying: 'As you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me' (Matthew 25:40). In assuming human nature He has united to Himself all humanity in a supernatural solidarity which makes of it one single family. He has made charity the distinguishing mark of His disciples, in the words: 'By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another'" (Vatican II, "Apostolicam Actuositatem", 8).
Even though Christ is Purity itself, and Temperance and Humility, He does not, however, make any one of these virtues the distinguishing mark of His disciples: He makes Charity that mark. "The Master's message and example are clear and precise. He confirmed His teaching with deeds. Yet I have often thought that, after twenty centuries, it is indeed still a NEW commandment, for very few people have taken the trouble to practice it. The others, the majority of men, both in the past and still today, have chosen to ignore it. Their selfishness has led them to the conclusion: 'Why should I complicate my life? I have more than enough to do just looking after myself.'
"Such an attitude is not good enough for us Christians. If we profess the same faith and are really eager to follow in the clear footprints left by Christ when He walked on this earth, we cannot be content merely with avoiding doing unto others the evil that we would not have them do unto us. That is a lot, but it is still very little when we consider that our love is to be measured in terms of Jesus' own conduct. Besides, he does not give us this standard as a distant target, as a crowning point of a whole lifetime of struggle. It is--it ought to be, I repeat, so that you may turn it into specific resolutions--our starting point, for our Lord presents it as a sign of Christianity: 'By this shall all men know that you are My disciples'" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 223).
And this is what in fact happened among Christians in the early centuries in the midst of pagan society, so much so that Tertullian, writing around the end of the second century, reported that people could indeed say, looking at the way these Christians lived: "See how they love one another" ("Apologeticum", XXXIX).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
Acts 14:21-27
After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news
to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the kingdom of God.”
They appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading II
Rev 21:1-5a
Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away.”
The One who sat on the throne said,
“Behold, I make all things new.”
Gospel
Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35
When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Acts 14:21 – 27
Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, Paul and Barnabas went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.
They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.
On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 144(145):8-13a
I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.
or
Alleluia!
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God,
to make known to men your mighty deeds
and the glorious splendour of your reign.
I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.
or
Alleluia!
Yours is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule lasts from age to age.
I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.
or
Alleluia!
Second reading
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, ‘You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.’
Then the One sitting on the throne spoke: ‘Now I am making the whole of creation new’ he said. ‘Write this: that what I am saying is sure and will come true.’
Gospel John 13:31 – 35
When Judas had gone Jesus said:
‘Now has the Son of Man been glorified,
and in him God has been glorified.
If God has been glorified in him,
God will in turn glorify him in himself,
and will glorify him very soon.
‘My little children,
I shall not be with you much longer.
You will look for me,
And, as I told the Jews,
where I am going, you cannot come.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another;
just as I have loved you,
you also must love one another.
By this love you have for one another,
everyone will know that you are my disciples.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
5th Sunday of Easter
From: Acts 14:21-27
The Return Journey to Antioch
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[21] When they had preached the Gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, [22] strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God. [23] And when had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed.
[24] Then they passed through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. [25] And when they had spoken the Word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; [26] and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. [27] And when they arrived, they gathered the Church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
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Commentary:
20-22. "If you accept difficulties with a faint heart you lose joy and your peace, and you run the risk of not deriving spiritual profit from the trial" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 696).
St. Paul is not cowed by persecution and physical suffering. He knows that this crisis is the prelude to abundant spiritual fruit, and in fact many people in this region do embrace the Gospel.
Even though St. Luke records the progress and success of the Word of God, he also shows that its preachers certainly encounter the cross (cf. 13:14, 50). The Gospel meets with acceptance everywhere--and also with opposition. "Where there are many laurels", St. Ambrose says, "there is fierce combat. It is good for you to have persecutors: that way you attain more rapid success in your enterprises" ("Expositio in Ps 118", 20, 43).
The Apostles have no difficulty in pointing to events to show the disciples that suffering and difficulties form part of Christian living.
"Cross, toil, anguish: such will be your lot as long as you live. That was the way Christ went, and the disciple is not above his master" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 699). "Each of us has at some time or other experienced that serving Christ our Lord involves suffering and hardship; to deny this would imply that we had not yet found God [...]. Far from discouraging us, the difficulties we meet have to spur us on to mature as Christians. This fight sanctifies us and gives effectiveness to our apostolic endeavors" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 28 and 216).
23. The appointment of elders in each church means that Christians were invested with a ministry of government and religious worship, by a liturgical rite of ordination. These have a share in the hierarchical and priestly ministry of the Apostles, from whom their own ministry derives.
"The ministry of priests [...]", Vatican II teaches, "shares in the authority by which Christ Himself builds up and sanctifies and rules His Body" ("Presbyterorum Ordinis", 2). The ministerial office of priests is essential to the life of every Christian community, which draws its strength from the Word of God and the Sacraments. Their priesthood, derived from our Lord, is essentially different from what is called the "priesthood common to all the faithful".
A man becomes a priest of the New Testament through a special calling from God. "Our vocation," John Paul II told a huge gathering of priests in Philadelphia, "is a gift from the Lord Jesus Himself. It is a personal, individual calling: we have been called by our name, just as Jeremiah was" ("Homily at the Civic Center", 4 October 1979).
The priestly life is a sublime vocation which cannot be delegated or transferred to anyone else. It is a lifelong vocation and means that one has to give himself entirely to God--and this he can do, with the help of grace, because "we do not claim back our gift once given. It cannot be that God, who gave us the impulse to Yes, should now desire to hear us say No....
"It should not surprise the world that God's calling through the Church should continue, offering us a celibate ministry of love and service according to our Lord Jesus Christ's example. This calling from God touched the very depths of our being. And after centuries of experience the Church knows how appropriate it is that priests should respond in this specific way in their lives, to demonstrate the totality of the Yes they have said to our Lord" ("Ibid.").
"Since He wishes that no one be saved who has not first believed (cf. Mark 16: 16), priests, like the co-workers of the bishops that they are, have as their first duty to proclaim to all men the Gospel of God" (Vatican II, "Presbyterorum Ordinis", 4). To carry out this mission well, a priest needs to be in contact with our Lord all the time--"a personal, living encounter--with eyes wide open and a heart beating fast--with the risen Christ" John Paul II, "Homily in Santo Domingo Catedral", 26 January 1979).
Reminding priests of their special duty to be witnesses to God in the modern world, John Paul II invites them not only to bear in mind the Christian people, from whom they come and whom they must serve, but also people at large; they should not hide the fact that they are priests: "Do not help the trends towards 'taking God off the streets' by yourselves adopting secular modes of dress and behavior" ("Address at Maynooth University", 1 October 1979).
24-26. Paul and Barnabas return to Syrian Antioch, taking in the cities they have visited--in reverse order: Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, Pisidian Antioch and Perga. At the port of Attalia they take ship for Syria and arrive shortly afterwards in Antioch. Their journey, which began around the year 45, has taken four years.
Despite the animosity and persecution they experienced in these cities, the two missionaries do not avoid returning. They want to complete arrangements for the government of the new churches and to consolidate the faith of the disciples. The possible risks involved do not cause them any concern.
"Whosoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:35). "These are mysterious and paradoxical words," John Paul II writes. "But they cease to be mysterious if we strive to put them into practice. Then the paradox disappears and we can plainly see the deep simplicity of their meaning. To all of us this grace is granted in our priestly life and in our zealous service" ("Letter to All Priests", 8 April 1979, 5).
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From: Revelation 21:1-5a
A New World Comes Into Being. The New Jerusalem
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[1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. [2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; [3] and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; [4] he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."
[5a] And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."
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Commentary:
1-4. The prophet Isaiah depicted the messianic times as a radical change in the fortunes of the people of Israel--so radical that, as he put it, God was going to create new heavens and a new earth, a new Jerusalem full of joy, where the sound of weeping would never more be heard, where God would make himself plain for all to see and where everything would be as it was in paradise before sin (cf. Is 65:12-25). The author of the Apocalypse uses this same format to describe the future Kingdom of God. The imagery of a new heaven and a new earth (taken in a physical sense) was very much in vogue in Jewish writing around the time of the Apocalypse (cf. 1 Enoch 72:1; 91:16), and is probably reflected also in 2 Peter 3:10-13 and Matthew 19:28. Scripture nowhere indicates what form the new heaven and the new earth will take. However, what is clear is that there will be a radical "renewal" of the present cosmos, contaminated as it is by the sin of man and the powers of evil (cf. Gen 2:8-3:24; Rom 8:9-13); through this renewal all creation will be "recapitulated" in Christ (cf. Eph 1:10; Col 1:16:20). No reference is made to the sea, probably because in Jewish literature it symbolized the abyss, the abode of demonic powers hostile to God.
Those who will inhabit this new world (symbolized by the Holy City, the new Jerusalem) are the entire assembly of the saved, the entire people of God (cf. vv. 12- 14)--a holy people disposed to live in loving communion with God (as reflected by the image of the adorned bride: cf. vv. 2, 9). The promise of a new covenant (Ezek 37:27) will be fulfilled to the letter: God will see to it that none of the evil, suffering or pain found in this world will find its way into the new world.
This passage of the Book of Revelation strengthens the faith and hope of the Church--not only St John's own generation but all generations down the ages for as long as the Church makes its way through this valley of tears. The Second Vatican Council says: "We know neither the moment of the consummation of the earth and of man nor the way the universe will be transformed. The form of this world, distorted by sin, is passing away and we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, whose happiness will fill and surpass all the desires of peace arising in the hearts of men. Then with death conquered the children of God will be raised in Christ and what was sown in weakness and dishonor will put on the imperishable: charity and its work will remain, and all of creation which God made for man, will be set free from its bondage to decay" ("Gaudium Et Spes", 39).
5-8. For the first and only time in the entire book God himself speaks. He does so as absolute Lord of all, to ratify what has just been expounded. While the author and his readers are still in this world of suffering, God affirms that he--even now--is creating a new world. There is, then, a connection between present human suffering and the future world which is taking shape thanks to the mercy of God.
Although that new world will emerge in its complete form on the last day, the renewal of all things has already begun; it began with the life, death and resurrection of Christ. "The kingdom of life has begun," St Gregory of Nyssa teaches, "and the empire of death has been undone. Another generation, another life, another way of loving has made its appearance: our very nature is being transformed. What type of generation am I referring to? A generation which results not from blood or carnal love or human love, but from God. Are you wondering how that can be? I shall explain it in a few words. This new creature is begotten by faith; the regeneration of Baptism brings it to birth; the Church, its nurse, weans it by her teaching and institutions and nourishes it with her heavenly bread. This new creature matures through holiness of life; its marriage is marriage with Wisdom; its children, hope; its home, the Kingdom; its inheritance and its riches, the delights of paradise; its final destiny is not death, but eternal and joyful life in the dwelling-place of the saints" ("Oratio I In Christi Resurrectionem"). We should remember that "the Kingdom is mysteriously present here on earth; when the Lord comes it will enter into its perfection" ("Gaudium Et Spes", 39).
The promise of a world to come is so sure that although that world has not achieved its full perfection, it can be categorically stated that it is a promise "already kept"--"It is done": God himself, the Lord of history guarantees it (cf. note on Rev 1:8)....
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From: John 13:31-33a, 34-35
The New Commandment
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[31] When he (Judas Iscariot) had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in Him God is glorified; [32] if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him at once. [33] Little children, yet a little while I am with you. [34] A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [35] By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."
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Commentary:
31-32. This glorification refers above all to the glory which Christ will receive once He is raised up on the cross (John 3:14; 12:32). St. John stresses that Christ's death is the beginning of His victory: His very crucifixion can be considered the first step in His ascension to His Father. At the same time it is glorification of the Father, because Christ, by voluntarily accepting death out of love, as a supreme act of obedience to the Will of God, performs the greatest sacrifice man can offer for the glorification of God. The Father will respond to this glorification which Christ offers Him by glorifying Christ as Son of Man, that is, in His holy human nature, through the His resurrection and ascension to God's right hand. Thus the glory which the Son gives the Father is at the same time glory for the Son.
Christ's disciple will also find His highest motivation by identifying himself with Christ's obedience. St. Paul teaches this very clearly when he says: "Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14).
33. From this verse onwards the evangelist recounts what is usually called the discourse of the Last Supper; in it we can distinguish three parts. In the first, our Lord begins by proclaiming the New Commandment (verses 33-35) and predicts Peter's denials (verses 36-38); He tells them that His death means His going to the Father (Chapter 4), with Whom He is one because He is God (verses 1-14); and He announces that after His resurrection He will send them the Holy Spirit, who will guide them by teaching them and reminding them of everything He told them (verses 15-31).
The second part of the discourse is contained in Chapters 15 and 16. Jesus promises to those who believe in Him a new life of union with Him, as intimate as that of a vine and its branches (15:1-18). To attain this union one must keep His New Commandment (verses 9-17). He forewarns them about the contradictions they will suffer, and He encourages them by promising the Holy Spirit who will protect them and console them (verses 18-27). The action of the Paraclete or Consoler will lead them to fulfill the mission Jesus has entrusted to them (16:1- 15). The fruit of the presence of the Holy Spirit will be fullness of joy (verses 16- 33).
The third part (Chapter 7) gives Jesus' priestly prayer, in which He asks the Father to glorify Him through the cross (verses 1-5). He prays also for His disciples (verses 6-19) and for all those who through them will believe in Him, so that, staying in the world without being of the world, the love of God should be in them and they should bear witness to Christ being the envoy of the Father (verses 20- 26).
34-35. After announcing that He is leaving them (verse 33), Christ summarizes His commandments in one--the New Commandment. He will repeat it a number of times during the discourse of the Supper (cf. John 15:12, 17), and St. John in his First Letter will insist on the need to practice this commandment of the Lord and on the demands it implies (cf. 1 John 2:8; 3:7-21).
Love of neighbor was already commanded in the Old Testament (cf. Leviticus 19: 18)--and Jesus ratified this when He specified that it was the second precept of the whole Law and similar to the first: Love God will all your heart and soul and mind (cf. Matthew 22:37-40). But Jesus gives the precept of brotherly love new meaning and content by saying "even as I have loved you". The love of neighbor called for by the Old Law did also in some way extend to one's enemies (Exodus 23:4-5); however, the love which Jesus preaches is much more demanding and includes returning good for evil (cf. Matthew 5:43-44), because Christian love is measured not by man's heart but by the heart of Christ, who gives up His life on the cross to redeem all men (cf. 1 John 4:9-11). Here lies the novelty of Jesus' teaching, and our Lord can rightly say that it is His commandment, the principal clause in His last will and testament.
Love of neighbor cannot be separated from love of God: "The greatest commandment of the law is to love God with one's whole heart and one's neighbor as oneself (cf. Matthew 22:37-40). Christ has made this love of neighbor His personal commandment and has enriched it with a new meaning when He willed Himself, along with His brothers, to be the object of this charity, saying: 'As you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me' (Matthew 25:40). In assuming human nature He has united to Himself all humanity in a supernatural solidarity which makes of it one single family. He has made charity the distinguishing mark of His disciples, in the words: 'By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another'" (Vatican II, "Apostolicam Actuositatem", 8).
Even though Christ is Purity itself, and Temperance and Humility, He does not, however, make any one of these virtues the distinguishing mark of His disciples: He makes Charity that mark. "The Master's message and example are clear and precise. He confirmed His teaching with deeds. Yet I have often thought that, after twenty centuries, it is indeed still a NEW commandment, for very few people have taken the trouble to practice it. The others, the majority of men, both in the past and still today, have chosen to ignore it. Their selfishness has led them to the conclusion: 'Why should I complicate my life? I have more than enough to do just looking after myself.'
"Such an attitude is not good enough for us Christians. If we profess the same faith and are really eager to follow in the clear footprints left by Christ when He walked on this earth, we cannot be content merely with avoiding doing unto others the evil that we would not have them do unto us. That is a lot, but it is still very little when we consider that our love is to be measured in terms of Jesus' own conduct. Besides, he does not give us this standard as a distant target, as a crowning point of a whole lifetime of struggle. It is--it ought to be, I repeat, so that you may turn it into specific resolutions--our starting point, for our Lord presents it as a sign of Christianity: 'By this shall all men know that you are My disciples'" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 223).
And this is what in fact happened among Christians in the early centuries in the midst of pagan society, so much so that Tertullian, writing around the end of the second century, reported that people could indeed say, looking at the way these Christians lived: "See how they love one another" ("Apologeticum", XXXIX).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
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