I CHOSE YOU - 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER (5/9/2021)

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
Psalm 98
1 John 4:7-10
John 15:9-17

I CHOSE YOU

Today’s readings are among the most tender in the lectionary, in terms of expressing God’s love for us. Not only is God’s love emphasized but also his choice, his initiative in loving us first (cf. 1 John 4:19). Psalm 115:3 says: “Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does.”  God has freely decided to love us, save us, and give us the best of all good gifts, the Holy Spirit. The first reading is a prime example of this.

ACTS

Today’s first reading recounts the “Gentile Pentecost,” when Peter was invited to the home of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. The Lord had to intervene and settle Peter’s initial misgivings about entering the house of a Gentile. We are told that Peter had not yet finished his sermon when the Holy Spirit fell on the group of Gentile listeners – to the amazement of Peter’s entourage!

How did they know that the Holy Spirit had been poured out? “They could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.” Peter then orders the group to be baptized with water in the name of Jesus Christ. Some Scripture scholars have pointed out that it was the gift of tongues that allowed these Gentiles to receive immediate baptism and become members of the Christian community.

As we read later in the next chapter, when Peter was called upon to defend his actions, he said: “I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” (Acts 11:16-17). Who, indeed, can withstand God?

GOSPEL

Today’s gospel is a continuation of the beautiful chapter 15 of John. This selection is all about God’s abiding love and the Lord’s invitation to “remain (or abide) in my love.” Some form of the Greek word translated “remain” or “abide” occurs several times in John 15.

The result of keeping God’s commandments and remaining in his love is joy and being known as a friend, not a slave, of the Lord. “I no longer call you slaves…I have called you friends.”

The reading concludes with Jesus emphasizing that the initiative in choosing the apostles was his: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you." The result of abiding in the love of Jesus is bearing good fruit and praying with confidence in his name.

FIRST LETTER OF JOHN

The second reading from First John further emphasizes God’s love and God’s choice. “In this way, the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.”

The two basic facts that we have to hold on to at all costs are: 1) God is love and 2) God loves us. If we remain and abide in that word, we will know the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit within us. May it always be so!

REMAIN AND ABIDE

In John’s writings, some form of this Greek word is used multiple times: about 40 times in his gospel and 20 in his letters. We are urged to abide in Jesus and abide in his love. He also tells us to abide in his word (cf. John 8:31-32). If we do that, Jesus promises three things: 1) we will truly be his disciples; 2) we will know the truth; and 3) the truth will set us free. If we make it a point to abide with him, the Lord will surely abide with us. It was, after all, his choice and initiative to begin with.  No wonder the Responsorial today, Psalm 98 urges us to “Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.”