Fifth Sunday of Easter

Do We Really Have To Learn Everyone

LOVE ONE ANOTHER. AS I HAVE LOVED YOU

Holy One, the fountain of love that brings forth all creation, help us to stop, right here, right now. To breathe. To take a moment to become more aware of your presence, your love. All around us. All within us. Remove everything that keeps us from fully absorbing your love. Open our hearts like sponges to soak up your love.

Share a time when you were challenged to love someone you don’t like.

Maryknoll Fr. Joseph Fedora in Peru accompanying people with HIV.

In the late 1990s, before antiretroviral drugs were available in Peru, a man diagnosed with HIV found hope through the kindness of volunteers—his “angels.” Despite the stigma of HIV/AIDS that left people isolated and feeling unlovable, “angels” like Maryknoll Father Joseph (Padre José) Fedora, provided medical and financial support while fostering a community of care. Thanks to their efforts, the man survived, inspiring his family to continue the mission of accompaniment. Today, Missioners on the Way, founded by Padre José and religious sisters, carries on this work, ensuring people with HIV receive medical care, emotional support, and a sense of belonging. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person visits were impossible, volunteers reached out through calls and messages, offering encouragement and connection. As Padre José reminds them, “On the road you are walking, God is there with you.” Their work is a testament to the power of love in action—walking alongside the marginalized, just as Jesus calls his disciples to do.

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.” John 13:31-33a, 34-35

Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. This is not just a call to love in general, but to love as Jesus did—fully, selflessly, and unconditionally. He doesn’t simply tell them to love; he demonstrates it. Even as he prepares for his departure, he remains with them a little longer, walking alongside them, preparing their hearts, and showing them what true love looks like.

This kind of love is not always easy. It requires patience, understanding, and a willingness to be present with others, especially those whom society may see as unlovable. As missionary disciples, we are called to walk alongside others in their struggles, just as Jesus did with his own. By embodying this love, we become living witnesses to Christ—showing the world who we are, not by words alone, but by the way we love.

Who in your life or community feels unloved or excluded? How is the Spirit inviting you to travel alongside them with patience and understanding?

Love is more than words—it is presence, care, and action. This week, challenge yourself to engage with someone who is often marginalized in society, whether within the immigrant, LGBTQIA+, or BIPOC community. Listen to their story, share a meal, or simply offer your time and presence. From the encounter, reflect on how Christ’s love calls us to accompany others, especially those who may feel unseen or unheard.

Loving God, as we go forth, let us carry the love we have received into the world. Open our eyes to those who need compassion, our hands to acts of service, and our hearts to walk alongside the marginalized. May we be vessels of your love, pouring it out freely, so that all may know they are seen, valued, and never alone. Amen.