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Sixth Sunday in Easter - B – May 13, 2012

Love One Another As I Have Loved You

“Love makes the world go round.” While we might dispute the wisdom of that saying, we cannot deny it’s truth when it comes to faith. God loves us and gave his Son for us. We are to love others in the same way. This love should define our identity and mission as Christians.

MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, Jesus calls us his friends. He chose us and raised us to his level as a child of the Father. We are to treat others with the friendship Jesus gives us.

FIRST READING The book of Acts presented a dilemma to St. Peter. He was to step into the house of a non-Jew and an opponent of the Jewish nation. He entered the house of Cornelius, the Roman centurion. When Peter heard and saw what God was doing in the home, opponents became friends, even brothers in the Lord.

PSALM Psalm 98 teaches us that prayer can lead to praise. And praise can become infectious.

SECOND READING If there was one word that described the God Christians worship and the Church community, that word would be “love.” 1 John 4 made that point explicit.

GOSPEL In John’s Gospel, Jesus defined the reason for being a Christian and the true cause of evangelization in love. God loved us and sent his Son to us as a sign of that love. We are to love, in order to form community and invite others to join us.

CHILDREN’S READINGS The narrative for the first reading describes St. Peter’s encounter with Cornelius the soldier. In the story for the gospel, Bernie realized she could not repay everyone for their kindness, especially on a night she and her mother needed help the most. She realized something Jesus taught. We should not try to repay acts of love, but pay them forward. We should treat others the way we have been treated.

CATECHISM LINK In this week’s Catechism Link, we investigate the theological virtues of faith, hope and love.

FAMILY LINK Create a “Love Poster” as a way to discuss true love, giving that demands sacrifice. Brainstorm practical ways to give to others in the family, without expecting anything in return.