SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(World Communications Day)
29th May 2022


Dear Parishioner

The Gospel reading is part of Jesus' prayer for unity among his followers. It comes from his long discourse during the Last Supper as given to us in John's gospel. In this particular part of the prayer, he is praying not for those disciples who are with him at the supper but "for those who will believe in me through their word".

Jesus prays that "they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me". For this is the way that people will come to recognise the true identity of Jesus. To be a follower of Jesus is not simply to believe in him and lead a good life. It means we are invited to partake in the loving relationship of the Trinity. The Father's plan is to love us, to bring us into Trinitarian love. He wants to love us in his Son with a Father's eternal love. God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son into the world. Love is at the heart of the universe.

God is love, and if he is in us, it is as love. God pours his love, himself, into our hearts. As he shares his life, he shares his love. This is the love that he wants us to give to others. Jesus gave his disciples the love he had received from his Father, and sent them forth to continue his work of sharing that love with all of humanity.

Therefore, the Christian life is essentially communal. And Jesus is saying here that the most potent witness we can give of who he is, is that we who claim to follow him do so as part of a fellowship. It is said that in the early Church there was a saying: "See those Christians how they love one another!" That was one of the most striking characteristics to the pagan eye, namely, that people who came from different ethnic and social backgrounds could live together in such harmony. This was something strange to societies which strongly and defensively identified with their own group. People need to hear the good news of God's love. This is our mission. God bless you all.

Fr Jijo George


Notices:

Please remember to pray for:

Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese

The sick and housebound

Those who have recently died

Years Mind:
Tuesday: Sadru Bhanji
Thursday: Bp John Petit, Canon Eric Goldingay, Fr Donald Clover
Friday: Emile Saad, Canon Jerome Deady