20-second Summary
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord proclaims that He makes all things new. New life in Christ is the promise He makes to us and is fulfilled in the love He bears for us through the Cross and Resurrection. And He calls us to love one another as He loves us. New life through love – the basics of the Christian life. Read on to find out how we can embrace and imitate this love and new life!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Catechesis At Home – Fifth Sunday of Easter – Year C
Fifth Sunday of Easter – The Lord Makes All Things New
First Reading
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
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.
Second Reading
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 Reading
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.”
The Lord Makes All Things New
REFLECTION – He Makes All Things New
Behold, I make all things new! This is the proclamation of the Risen Lord who reigns in heaven.
This week we hear about Paul and Barnabas’ travels throughout Asia Minor as they spread the Gospel. Everyone rejoiced in their accomplishments when they arrived back at Antioch where they started. Christ had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. That is, those not of Abraham’s lineage through Isaac, Jacob and so on. The Psalm prophesies “Let them make known your might to the children of Adam, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.” And the second reading from Revelation is making known the glorious splendor of His kingdom through the vision to St. John. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning.” Behold, He makes all things new!
Jesus provides in our Gospel the way in which He does make all things new. Through the New Covenant, the New Commandment to “love one another as I have loved you.” This love – sacrificial love – is what renews everything. It is our new life in Christ through Baptism that we are made new. We live our Baptismal grace through love. Love of God and love of neighbor. The glory of heaven and the imagery of the wedding is the embodiment of this love. When we love one another as Christ loves us, our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, and ourselves, are drawn more closely to Jesus.
Let us revel in the new life around us – Springtime and the Easter Season. Let us recognized as a disciple of Christ by our love.
DISCUSSION – Love Makes All Things New
Discuss this week with your family how Jesus loves us. And how that love makes all things new. What are some concrete ways that Jesus loves each of you? Go around the table at dinner or at donuts after Mass and ask the question: How does Jesus love you? (Start with the youngest so they don’t just copy older siblings. Plus, usually the youngest is only too happy to have the attention of the entire family!)
After answering that, ask: What makes His love different from mere human love? (Re-phrase for younger folks: How is Jesus’ love different from how you and I love?) How does this love make all things new?
We can look to Scripture for the answer – Luke 6:32-36, Matthew 5:43-48, 1 Corinthians 13, John 13:14-15.
ACTIVITY – New Life Through Love
Christ’s sacrifice makes it possible for all of us to have new life. New life through the loving act. Love makes all things new!
Make a sacrificial loving act this week. And do not tell anyone about it. Your household might notice and if they do, and comment, that’s fine, but do not do it for the recognition. Do it out of love for your family. (Of course, parents in particular do this regularly, make an effort to do something out of the ordinary this week.) It doesn’t have to be in the home, either, maybe at work or school, or at the store.
“And they will know we are Christians by our love.”
DIG DEEPER – Other The Lord Makes All Things New resources from Holy Owned and Operated:
Page: Easter Resources
TWMWU: Feed My Sheep
TWMWU: God’s Mercy Brings Life
TWMWU: Love is Patient
Podcast: Grace – Episode 12
Podcast: Love – Episode 30
Video: Spirit in Life: A Video Series
How does the Lord Make All Things New in my life?
by Beth & Kristofer Cowles
HOO™ Co-Founders
Other Help on HOO
Caring For Our Earthly Home – Episode 95
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:35 — 22.7MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | Blubrry | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More Subscribe Options
One of the seven social teachings of the Catholic Church, caring for our earthly home is intimately connected to every part of our life.
After quoting an 80s video game and Monty Python, Beth and Kristofer dive into this topic with Kristofer making sure everyone knows he is not a tree hugger.
Then they go on identifying birds and trees as they walk by. Well, the topic is what the topic is – and they do answer the question we all have about that environment issue.
Yeah, that one.
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