Acts 14: 21-27
Psalm 145
Revelation 21: 1-5a (ME2, “Vidi civitatem sanctam,” T. Crequillon)
John 13: 31-33a, 34-35
The First Reading (from Acts) has Paul and Barnabas returning to the communities they had founded on the “outward” part of their first missionary trip. In doing so, they reminded the Christians in each place, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” and also appointed elders and laid hands on them. The Responsorial Psalm sings of kingdom, and the Church sees its words as fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ. It is to Him, then, that we sing: “I will praise Your Name forever, my king and my God!” The Second Reading (from Revelation) is the vision of the “new heaven and the new earth” seen by John. God truly dwells with us, in His word and Sacraments, and in the community of His Body. This reading reflects the church’s experience of the kingdom, which is both “now” and “not yet.” The Gospel for today has Jesus telling the disciples of His upcoming glorification (i.e., His suffering, death, and resurrection), and then His saying to them: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” [We sing these words at the Mandatum (the Washing of the Feet) on Holy Thursday.] St. Augustine of Hippo, speaking of these words, says: “This commandment that He is giving them is a new one, the Lord Jesus tells His disciples. Yet, was it not contained in the Old Law, where it is written, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself?’ Why then does the Lord call it new? Or is the commandment new because it divests us of our former selves and clothes us with the new man? Love does indeed renew the one who hears, or rather obeys, its command; but only that love which Jesus distinguished from a natural love, by the qualification: ‘As I have loved you.’…this love is the gift of the Lord. His object in loving us, then, was to enable us to love each other. By loving us Himself, our mighty Head has linked us all together as members of His own body, bound to one another by the tender bond of love.” (Tractatus de Ioanne 65)
“Little children, love each other;
As I’ve done, so ought you do!”
Thus the Savior, ere He left them,
Taught His own in words so true.
“All, on seeing your behavior,
Will proclaim that you are Mine,
If you love as I have taught you,
Living in My love divine.”
Thus the worlds of Holy Scripture
Shall be seen to come to pass:
“God Himself has made His dwelling
Here with us, that e’er shall last.”
Ev’ry sorrow, all our mourning,
Shall be lifted in that Day;
For the Lord will be our Savior,
Wiping ev’ry tear away.
Hear the words of our Redeemer:
“I am making all things new!”
Thus assured, we strive on boldly,
Strengthened in this faith so true.
In each hardship for the Kingdom,
Grace is building on each deed,
Showing forth the Kingdom’s glory,
Gladly sowing Gospel seed.
87.87.D
Suggested tune: Ode to Joy
The psalms for this week’s Liturgy of the Hours are taken from Week I, using the Easter antiphons. Everything from the reading on is taken from the Proper of the Season.
Propers from the Roman Gradual
The Introit reflects the Paschal Mystery, the “wonderful deeds of the Lord.” The confidence demonstrated in the Second Reading, “we know that he lives in us by the Spirit that he has given us,” is echoed in the Offertory’s last couplet. The Communion matches the Gospel for the day.
Introit: Cantate Domino (Ps. 98:1,3b)
O sing to the Lord, sing him a new song, alleluia;
for the Lord has done marvelous deeds, alleluia;
in the sight of the nations has he openly shown his righteousness, alleluia, alleluia.
With his right and hand his holy arm
has he won for himself the victory.
Offertory: Jubilate Deo (Ps. 66:1,2,16)
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
shout with joy to God, all the earth;
sing a psalm in honor of his name;
Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell you what great things the Lord has done for my soul, alleluia.
Communion: Ego sum vitis vera (Jn 15:5)
(matches the Gospel in Year B)
It is I who am the vine, and you are the branches;
who abides in me, and I in the others,
they shall bear much fruit, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Propers from the Simple Gradual