Sunday:       6 TH SUNDAY OF EASTER           
Date:         May 28, 2000
Year:         B
The readings: [Acts 10:25-6, 34-5, 44-8; 1 Jn. 4:7-10; Jn. 15:9-17]
The message:  Truly, our Lord gives endlessly.
Prepared by:  CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY
Total words:  1532

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Truly, our Lord gives endlessly. It is so spiritually uplifting to hear how the Lord God loves us without boundaries, giving generously the best of all what He possesses.

In today's First Reading from The Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter, the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, gives us three spiritual messages:

1) First of all, when Cornelius, the centurion of the Roman cohort fell at St. Peter's feet and worshipped him, he was made to stand up and to stop it. As St. Peter indicated that he was but a mortal.

The Old Testament Commandments of God the Father that were given to Moses, these being explained to us through Jesus Christ in the New Testament, command us to place God first in our lives. We are to adore one God. We are to worship one God. We are to idolize one God. These words, adore, worship and idolize all mean the same thing. They are synonyms to each other.

How often do we hear someone continuously speaking of a saint? At times we wonder if the saint is more important than God since God is rarely mentioned, if mentioned at all. Has this person placed the saint above God? Has this person forgotten that if one has been elevated to sainthood, it is by the grace of God? Yes, all things are given to us by God. If the saint is a saint, it is because he or she was blessed abundantly by the infinite grace of God. As such, the status of sainthood is a message that we should look above, to He who showers infinite graces on those who love Him, serve Him, and obey Him.

The same applies to movie actors, singers, musicians, etc... How often do we hear that our teenagers or young adults idolize these people? Their bedrooms are covered with souvenirs, posters, signed photos, etc... In that same room, you will not find one crucifix, one holy picture, one religious article, etc... The talented person is being idolized, having been placed above God. But where do these people get their talents? It is from God! If one is elevated to fame, it is by the grace of God. And we must never forget that.

2) Secondly, St. Peter said that God shows no partiality. Does God show partiality or not? Some say, "Look at the handicaps, they are not equal. God did not give them as much!" This type of thinking is worldly thinking.

When we apply our spiritual minds, we perceive that God shows no partiality. He created us all equal in His image. Show me one person that has not been created with a soul and a body. Then, I will agree with you that we are not equal.

There is no need for me to prove to you that we all have a physical body. Your eyes affirms this truth. And if you cannot see, then your sense of touch affirms it.

Do we have a soul? The Catholic Church teaches us that we do. The soul is the innermost aspect of man, that which is of greatest value to him, that by which he is most especially in God's image. Soul signifies the spiritual principle of man. (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 363)

In view of the fact that each person, male or female, have a soul and body, God has shown no partiality.

3) Thirdly, St. Peter tells us that the Sacrament of Baptism is not reserved for God's people of the Old Testament. Christ died for all of us. And the proof is the fact that the Holy Spirit poured out His gifts on the Gentiles as much as on God's chosen people of the Old Testament. The Spirit of God does not show partiality.

From this Reading, we can perceive that God loves us abundantly and gives endlessly to us. He shows no partiality. He created us equal with a soul and body. He does not look at the age, gender, race or nationality of a person. This is worldly thinking. God sent His beloved Son Jesus to die on the cross for the remission of the sins of all those who will accept Him through perseverance in their living faith and the Sacrament of Baptism.

The Second Reading from the First Letter of John commands us to love one another because God is love. If God can give us the best of all what He possesses as His sign of love, can we not as His children do the same thing? Can we not shine in our love by giving generously to all in need?

"Whoever does not love does not have God, for God is love." This is a very powerful statement! If we claim to be of God but do not have love, we do not have God. If we create disharmony among our friends, our family or our co-workers, division in the Church, display disobedience to God's spiritual laws by our public behaviour, can we claim to have God who is love? No, we cannot! If we do so, we are only fooling ourselves for God knows the truth.

God gave us His only beloved Son. He gave us His love. The fullness of God was manifested in bodily form through Jesus, He who died on the cross for our sins so we may live through Him. Truly, does God not give endlessly? As children of God, we are called to shine in love so our love may be a reflection of the Divine love of God for the world.

Reviewing today's Gospel Reading, I have already touched on some of its content. Jesus said that if we keep His Commandments, we will abide in His love just as He has kept His Father's Commandments and abided in His love. Why should we obey the Commandments of God and abide in His love? It is for the joy of Jesus to be in us so our joy may be complete.

Will our joy be made complete if we disobey the commandments of God and are eternally damned? Certainly not! It is through our obedience, by walking our living faith according to the teachings of Jesus Christ, that we will receive the gift of salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of God. We cannot serve two masters, have a blessed hope in one but live according to the deception of the other. There is one Lord, one God, and we are His children. Accordingly, we are called to shine in His glory by the grace of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit in the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do what I command you." Wow! This is awesome! Jesus is not saying, "I am your God. Do what I tell you or else!" Nor is Jesus saying, "You are my servants" and I am not accountable to you. No, He is saying, "I am your friend. Here, let me help you and show you the way to the fullness of eternal joy." Jesus has made known to us everything that He has heard from the Father. Through the revelation that was made complete in Jesus, God gave endlessly to us.

We did not choose Jesus. He chose us. We do not have the capability of drawing towards God. It is by the grace of the Father that we are drawn to Jesus. It is God the Father calling us, telling us through His Spirit, "Jesus is the answer. Go to Him."

Why is God the Father directing us towards Jesus by the power of His Spirit? It is so we may go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Here, the Bible is not talking about a fruit that will last a year or so. It is the fruit that will last an eternity. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." [Gal. 5:22]

By the grace of God, through the refining fire of the Holy Spirit, we are being transformed in the likeness of Christ. Through the power of love, we are being made holy so we may shine towards others in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The end result, having been sanctified in Christ, we will inherit the Kingdom of God, not because we deserve it, but because our Lord gives endlessly. God loves you! He loves you (point to the left), and you (point to the centre), and you (point to the right), and me (point to self), and all of us (open arms to point to all). Let us never forget that!

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The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

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First Reading...

"On Peter's arrival at Caesarea, Cornelius, a centurion of the Roman cohort, met him, and falling at his feet, worshipped him. But Peter made him get up, saying, 'Stand up; I am only a mortal.'

Then Peter began to speak to those assembled in the house of Cornelius, "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.'

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.

Then Peter said, 'Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days." [Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48]

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Second Reading...

"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins." [1 Jn. 4:7-10]

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Gospel Reading...

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you: abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friend.

You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another." [Jn. 15:9-17]

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