Sixth Sunday of Easter – Year B

The theme of this paper is Jesus’ love for his disciples, which recurs several times in the Gospels. Various identifications have been proposed by exegetes and researchers, in particular, according to Christian tradition, with the apostle John, son of Zebedee, but also with a secondary figure in Jesus’ ministry who gained importance by founding the Johannine community, or with a symbolic figure who embodies a kind of perfect disciple. Some researchers have even identified him with the editor of the Johannine gospel or with Lazarus

# The Gospel according to John is the last of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. Christian tradition attributes it to one of Jesus’ disciples, the Apostle John, son of Zebedee. According to Philippe Rolland, the early Church Fathers are unanimous in stating that this Gospel is the last of the four in time and that it was written by John. Among them are Irenaeus of Lyons, who died in 210, Clement of Alexandria, who died in 211, and Origen, who died in 245. Not to mention Marcion, who died in 160 and is not a Church Father. This hypothesis is now rejected by most historians, who see in this text the work of a Johannine community at the end of the 1st century, whose proximity to the events has been debated.

This text was written in Greek, like the other three canonical Gospels, known as the Synoptics, but differs from them in composition, poetic style, theology and probably sources, as well as some unusual episodes, such as the wedding at Cana and the adulterous woman. In Trinitarian doctrine, the Gospel according to John is the most important in terms of Christology, because it implicitly affirms the divinity of Jesus, whom it describes as the incarnate Word of God. # The Gospel according to John is the last of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament.

Christian tradition attributes it to one of Jesus’ disciples, the apostle John, son of Zebedee. According to Philippe Rolland, the early Church Fathers are unanimous in stating that this Gospel is the last of the four in time and that it was written by John. Among them are Irenaeus of Lyons, who died in 210, Clement of Alexandria, who died in 211, and Origen, who died in 245. Not to mention Marcion, who died in 160, who is not a Church Father. This hypothesis is today rejected by most historians, who see in this text the work of a Johannine community of the late 1st century, whose proximity to the events is debated.

This text was written in Greek, like the other three canonical Gospels, known as the Synoptics, but differs from them in composition, poetic style, theology and probably sources, as well as in some singular episodes, such as the wedding at Cana and the adulterous woman. In Trinitarian doctrine, the Gospel according to John is the most important in terms of Christology, because it implicitly affirms the divinity of Jesus, whom it describes as the incarnate Word of God.

# The Sacred Heart is a devotion to the heart of Jesus Christ, as a symbol of the divine love with which God assumed human nature and gave His life for mankind. This devotion is particularly widespread in the Catholic Church, but also in the Anglican Church and some Lutheran churches. It emphasises the concepts of love and adoration of Christ. The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart was instituted by Pope Clement XIII in 1765 and extended to the whole Catholic Church by Pope Pius IX in 1856.

The spread of this devotion in the Catholic Church from the 17th century onwards came from the revelations of a Visitation nun at Paray-le-Monial, Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, who claimed to have received it from Christ himself during various apparitions between 1673 and 1675. Later, from the 19th century onwards, it came from the revelations of another Catholic nun, the Mother Superior of the convent of the Congregation of the Good Shepherd in Porto, Marie du Divin Coeur Droste zu Vischering, who asked Pope Leo XIII to consecrate the whole world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Pius XI stated : « The spirit of expiation or reparation has always played the first and principal role in the cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. » # The Gospel according to John is the last of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. Christian tradition has attributed it to one of Jesus’ disciples, the apostle John, son of Zebedee. According to Philippe Rolland, the early Church Fathers are unanimous in affirming that this Gospel is the last of the four in time and that it was written by John.

They include Irenaeus of Lyon, who died in 210, Clement of Alexandria, who died in 211, and Origen, who died in 245. Not to mention Marcion, who died in 160, who is not a Father of the Church. This hypothesis is now rejected by most historians, who see in this text the work of a Johannine community at the end of the first century, whose proximity to the events has been the subject of debate.

This text was written in Greek, just like the other three canonical Gospels, known as the Synoptics, but it differed from them in its composition, its poetic style, its theology and probably its sources, as well as in a few singular episodes, such as the Wedding at Cana and the adulterous woman. In Trinitarian doctrine, the Gospel according to John is the most important in terms of Christology, because it implicitly states the divinity of Jesus, whom it describes as the Word of God incarnate.

# The Gospel according to John is the last of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. Christian tradition has attributed it to one of Jesus’ disciples, the apostle John, son of Zebedee.  According to Philippe Rolland, the early Church Fathers are unanimous in affirming that this Gospel is the last of the four in time and that it was written by John. They include Irenaeus of Lyon, who died in 210, Clement of Alexandria, who died in 211, and Origen, who died in 245.

Not to mention Marcion, who died in 160 and was not a Father of the Church. This hypothesis is now rejected by most historians, who see in this text the work of a Johannine community at the end of the first century, whose proximity to the events is debated. This text was written in Greek, just like the other three canonical Gospels, known as the Synoptics, but it differed from them in its composition, its poetic style, its theology and probably its sources, as well as in a few unusual episodes, such as the Wedding at Cana and the adulterous woman.

In Trinitarian doctrine, the Gospel according to John is the most important in terms of Christology, because it implicitly states the divinity of Jesus, whom it describes as the Incarnate Word of God. # The Sacred Heart is a devotion to the heart of Jesus Christ, as a symbol of the divine love with which God took on human nature and gave his life for mankind. This devotion is particularly prevalent in the Catholic Church, but also in the Anglican Church and some Lutheran churches. It emphasises the concepts of love and adoration of Christ.

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart was instituted by Pope Clement XIII in 1765 and extended to the whole Catholic Church by Pope Pius IX in 1856. The spread of this devotion in the Catholic Church from the 17th century onwards came from the revelations of a Visitation nun at Paray-le-Monial, Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, who claimed to have received it from Christ himself during various apparitions between 1673 and 1675.

Later, from the 19th century onwards, it came from the revelations of another Catholic nun, the Mother Superior of the convent of the Congregation of the Good Shepherd in Porto, Marie du Divin Coeur Droste zu Vischering, who asked Pope Leo XIII to consecrate the whole world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pius XI said : « The spirit of expiation or reparation has always played the first and principal role in the worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. in my name, he will give it to you. This I command you, that you love one another ». (Jn 15, 9-17)

As I have loved you

It was the love of Jesus living in the hearts of his disciples that was the source of their love for one another. He insisted on this commandment, the observance of which was the soul of the Christian life : « A new commandment I give you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you also must love one another. (Jn 13, 34)   The measure of the love they had to have for one another was in that word: as I have loved you. And Jesus explained how he loved them. Giving your life for your friends is the greatest proof of love you can give them.

That’s why contemplating Jesus dying on the cross will always be the best way to understand the greatness of his love. These words of Jesus were deeply engraved in John’s heart, and he repeated them later. According to the apostle Paul, Jesus showed an even greater love when he wanted to die, not only for his friends, but for sinners. Jesus had just said that he would lay down his life for his friends. Then, turning lovingly to his disciples, he added : « You are my friends ! »

This was to say to them at the same time: « You will prove it, on your part, by the obedience of love » Jesus made them highly appreciate this beautiful word friend that he gave them. And he explained its profound meaning to them. He said to them : « I no longer call you servants, because the servant remains a stranger to the thoughts and plans of his master, but I have proved to you that you are my friends, because I have made known to you all the plans of mercy and love that my Father has entrusted to me to accomplish for the salvation of the world ».

This is what Jesus expressed in these familiar terms : « All the things that I have heard from my Father. » For all their love of Jesus, they could never forget that he was Lord, and the higher he raised them to him the more they felt the need to humble themselves in his presence. Although Jesus raised his disciples to this intimate relationship of love with him, they must not forget that the initiative here came from him. He chose them for their apostolate.

Although Jesus raised his disciples to this intimate relationship of love with him, they must not forget that the initiative here came from him. He chose them for their apostolate. Jesus added : « I did so that you might go freely, joyfully, to your work and bear fruit, permanent fruit for eternal life. » These things, these words and these instructions of Jesus, in which everything was love on his part, he lavished on his own, so that they in turn would love one another. In this way, they understood the immense importance of this mutual love that is the soul of the Church in its communion with Jesus.

Deacon Michel Houyoux

.Links to other Christian websites

◊ Loyola Press : click here to read the paper → Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B – Loyola Press

◊ Kararine Smith : click here to read the paper → Sermon for 6th Sunday of Easter – Year B

♥ Video Fr Emmanuel Ochigbo : click here →https://youtu.be/BJ715TYzYIg?t=3