Readings for May 24-25, Sixth Sunday of Easter
By Lyn Zahorik | For On Mission
In the Gospel this weekend, there is an interesting contrast to how Jesus uses the word “love.”
Initially, he says, “Whoever loves me will…” And later in the Scriptures, he says, “If you loved me…”
Same word — “love” — with two quite different messages.
In the first instance, he does not say, “You must keep my word,” but rather, “You will.” There is a positive message here. Obedience to Jesus’ teachings is not about legalism, but about responding to God’s love.
We do not love Jesus because we have been commanded to do so. We love him because of the personal relationship we have with him.
It is our relationship with Jesus that inspires us to keep his word. The word “will,” in this instance, is not a word of command, but one of result. People who love Jesus will live their lives in a particular manner.
Jesus, in the later part of this Gospel, speaks about his going away and now we hear the word “if.”
Here it speaks of the nature of our love, coupled with human attachment and sorrow. Imagine how the disciples felt. They had lost in death their teacher and friend, only to have him miraculously back in their lives.
But then, they are told they have to give him up a second time. The disciples, understandably, were distressed at the thought of Jesus leaving them. But he reframes their grief: if they genuinely love him, they will rejoice because his return to the Father signifies victory, completion and the unfolding of God’s greater plan.
It also speaks of trust. Jesus is asking his followers to trust that his departure is not abandonment, but a necessary step toward something greater — the coming of the Holy Spirit, the deepening of their faith and the expansion of God’s kingdom.
Each of us has been in a similar situation. We have endured the death of parents or children, friends, people we honored and respected.
But “if” we truly loved them, the time came when we could let go of our grief and rejoice that their earthly mission had been completed and they were entering into the unfolding of God’s greater plan.
Letting go in joy means recognizing that love is not diminished by distance or change. It means trusting that the bond of love remains, even if circumstances shift. It is the kind of love that says, “I want you to be happy, even if that means you must go.”
The empty spaces left behind can feel daunting, but they are also invitations.
Jesus assures us that the Holy Spirit will fill those empty spaces. When we are able to love, let go and rejoice, we make space for the Holy Spirit to help us rediscover ourselves, embrace new relationships and welcome experiences that we may not have been able to see before.
Letting go means honoring what was while making room for what is to come. Jesus promises us that the Holy Spirit will come, again and again filling us with peace.
Lyn Zahorik is director for spiritual engagement at St. Mary Parish, Omro, and St. Mary Parish, Winneconne
The readings for Sunday, May 25, can be found at Sixth Sunday of Easter | USCCB.