2016/04/24 - Homily - 5th Sunday of Easter

In our life, we are often looking for something new. New jobs, new clothes, new cars, new  items in our food, new style, new cooking, even if it means coming back to vintage years. We are so happy to change, because it is refreshing for us and challenging our capacity to cope with new situations, new problems. That the way of life.

In the Christian faith, novelty too has a very important place. Good is always making things new. As members of his creation we are able to receive a new heart, able to love as God loves. That is what today’s readings tell us, directly or not, but always with a focus on novelty.

Of course Jesus`command to love as he loves is based upon the old one, according to the Bible in Exodus and known by the Israeli people. As He loves does not mean a total gift of love as Jesus was. It certainly has to be guided by the spirit of Jesus. Because the Spirit will tell us what we have to do to follow Gods` will.

We have to look for it with our deep desire and act according to it. We have to have a new way to take care of each other especially the poor and those in need, whatever their needs could be. We will be judge according to the way we have succeed in opening our hearts.

We have to find a new way of dealing with nature and the whole world, this beautiful creation of God, but so often devastated by human activity. When we behave in such a way, we can be sure to follow the stream of the Christian faith. Then the new earth is coming and the new heaven is coming.

The image of the city of Jerusalem is there to help us to understand all this better. And so, let us first remember that every new situation, every new sign of change in our life and environment is coming from God, God first as usual. And secondly we have to realize that we can cooperate to God’s actions by letting His Will rules ours.