The Commandment of Love!
The Commandment of Love!
Little Johnny asked his dad, “What is love?” Dad replied, “Love is giving away your life for someone.” Often we sing a beautiful hymn at the Mass, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Next time, when we sing that hymn, give special attention to those words, it is beautiful and profound.
On the fifth Sunday of Easter, we read the Gospel of John 13:31-33a, 34-35, which is part of Jesus’ Last Supper discourse. This passage summarizes his entire body of teaching in the New Commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” In the book of Leviticus 19:18, it is written, “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” It teaches us about human love for ourselves and others. In the Gospel, Jesus asked his disciples to love others with his own heart – the heart of Christ.
The second reading is from the book of Revelation. John had a vision of the New Heaven and Earth. It is not entirely new, but wholly renewed. John sees that all creation is transformed and made radiant with the glory of God. In Genesis 3:17 and 18, the world is subjected to death and decay, but in John’s vision of Christ, everything is made new. Isaiah prophesied the new beginning of Israel. Isaiah 65:17 says, “I am creating a new heaven and earth; the former things shall not be remembered nor come to mind.” God is the builder of the heavenly city (Hebrews 11:10). John heard a loud voice saying that God dwells among his people. The saints look forward to a joyous and painless existence with God. The hope that God will dwell among his people (Ezekiel 37:27). John says, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). It recalls the messianic banquet (Isaiah 25:8).
Jesus, through his passion, death, and resurrection, made us new and gave us a new commandment, “Love one another, as I have loved you.” At the Last Supper before his farewell speech, Jesus washed their feet and instituted the Eucharist and taught a new way of life. He continues to wash our feet at every Eucharistic celebration and shares with us his very life: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
The Mass- In last week's bulletin, I began the second half of the Mass, which is called the Liturgy of the Eucharist, beginning with the Offertory, which involves the Preparation of the Altar and the Presentation of the Gifts (bread and wine). On Sundays, while the hymn is sung, ushers take a collection. In the Roman Missal order of Mass, paragraph 22 says, “It is desirable that the faithful express their participation by making an offering, bringing forward the bread and wine for the celebration of the Eucharist and perhaps other gifts to relieve the needs of the Church and of the poor.” Offertory is a moment where the whole Church—head and members—participate in Christ’s self-offering, making the Mass a sacrifice as well as a sacrament. The faithful are called not just to receive, but also to offer themselves, making the Mass a full, active, conscious participation in Christ’s redemptive act.
After the Offertory, the Eucharistic prayer, Anaphora, comes, which is the pinnacle of the Mass. The term “Eucharistic Prayer” comes from the Greek “eucharistia” (thanksgiving). It is also called the Canon, from kanon (rule/measure), emphasizing its role as the norm of liturgical prayer, especially once standardized by Pope St. Gregory the Great in the 6th century. The Eucharistic Prayer is rich in Scriptural and Traditional roots and is deeply Trinitarian, offering thanks to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. The Eucharistic Prayer begins with the Preface. The preface starts with a dialogue: “The Lord be with you… Lift up your hearts…Let us give thanks…” The entire Eucharistic prayer can be summarized as follows: The Preface, The Sanctus (“Holy, Holy, Holy”), The Institution Narrative (Jesus’ words at the Last Supper: “This is my body… This is my blood”), The Memorial (recalling Christ’s Passion, death, and Resurrection), Intercessions, The Doxology (“Through Him, with Him, and in Him…”), The Great Amen.
The preface varies according to the liturgical season, feast, or special occasion. In the present Roman Missal, there are 50 different prefaces. The Sanctus (Latin), (Holy Holy Holy) immediately follows the preface. This part of the Mass originates from Isaiah 6, where the prophet has a vision of God's heavenly temple and hears the Seraphim (the highest angelic beings, also known as the "burning ones"). The Eucharistic Prayer is described as a tapestry woven with Scripture, especially evident in the Preface and Sanctus, merging both Old and New Testament imagery. In both East and West, the Eucharistic Prayer reflects a mystical union of heaven and earth, of angels and men, of time and eternity. The Mass reenacts both Christ’s heavenly glory and his earthly passion – Mystical Liturgy.