6th Sunday of Easter (Year B)
Scriptures: Acts. 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; Ps. 98:1-4; 1 Jn. 4:7-10; Jn. 15:9-17
The Catholic Church has over 10,000 Saints. We know only a few of them and each of them lived a very inspiring life. Since I am involved in the family apostolate, I came across a write up about St. Gianna Mola. She is the patroness of all the doctors, mothers, unborn children. She was an Italian. Her family was very devout catholic. She became a doctor and specialized in paediatrics. She gave birth to four children.
In the fourth and final pregnancy, she developed a fibroma on the uterus. The doctors gave her three options: abortion or a complete hysterectomy or the removal of fibroma alone. Gianna opted to remove fibroma because she wanted to save the child. She told doctors that her child’s life is more important than her own. She delivered a baby girl on Holy Saturday in 1962 but continued to be critical. She died of septic shock after a week. St. Pope John Paul II canonized her on 14 May 2004. She is also named after her mother, Gianna Emanuela. She is a Geriatric. St. Gianna Mola gave life for her child. St. Gianna followed her master, Our Lord who tells us in today’s Gospel, “love one another as I have loved you”.
Today’s Gospel is a continuation of the last Sunday’s Gospel. Today’s Sunday should be called LOVE Sunday. Jesus summarized the entire Torah into two commandments; Love God and Love your neighbour (simple words love one another). While explaining the second commandment, Jesus qualifies how to love one another. He explains to us by giving his own example. Jesus’ love was selfless, self-giving, sacrificial, service-oriented and forgiving. He has shown us on the cross. Dr Murray Watson explains the use of the Greek adverb “as” in this sentence. It helps us to understand Jesus’ love. His love becomes a model and inspiration for us.
We find the world before Jesus was divided into Israel and the pagans. The Jews always believed that they were the most favoured nation. The division was made on the basis of God’s love; the people who are loved by God i.e. Israel and the people who are disowned by God. The faith in Jesus brought the world of a difference in their outlook. The Early Christians experienced God as impartial. He does not make any distinction. He loves everyone.
The first reading gives us an account of the first conversion of Cornelius, a pagan by birth. St. Peter prayed over him and he too received the Holy Spirit just like the Jews who had received the spirit on the day after the Pentecost experience. Jesus had shown mercy to all those who came to him. They were Jews, Romans, Samaritans, Greeks, etc. The early Christians modelled their lives on this love. Jesus became the model and inspiration for them.
We are called to love like Jesus. St. Gianna Mola and the early Christians modelled their lives on the love of Jesus which was self-sacrificing, self-giving, forgiving and serving. They did not see their own goods but they were ready to lay down their lives for others. Almost all the apostles suffered martyrdom for the love of Christ. Are we ready to follow the examples of St. Gianna Mola and the apostles in our lives?
We celebrate the world Mother’s Day today. Mother is the first person who teaches us to love. It is said, there is nothing most powerful than a mother’s love. Mother’s love is always regarded as the basis of human existence. The children even though they are grown up, depend on their mothers.
The bible also accepts this fact. If the people of Israel recognized God is love, then they recalled the first experience of love in the arms of their mother. A mother’s image is dominated in their mind as someone who is self-sacrificing, self-giving, caring and loving. Therefore, Prophet Isaiah could compare his mother’s love with God. He says, “as one whom mother comforts, so I will comfort you, you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Is. 66:13)
As we celebrate the world Mother’s Day, let us thank God for the gift of His love. He pours out his love in and through our mothers. Let us appreciate the sacrifices that our mothers make for us. St. Gianna Mola represents all our mothers. We have not seen God but our mothers show us by their lives how God love and cares for us. Their self-sacrificing, self-giving and forgiving love remind us how much more God loves us. Let our lives be modelled on the love of Jesus who our model and inspiration.
