Reflections on John 13:31–33a, 34–35 (5th Sunday of Easter)

From Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., in America Magazine:
”There are two great questions in the Easter season…”

From Karyn Wiseman in “Working Preacher”:
”One of the stunning parts of this text is the location…”

I know Jesus’ voice and I follow Him

Gospel: John 10:27–30
My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me.

As long we get up and try. And try. And try once more to be mindful of this presence throughout the course of our lives, we will be rewarded by the Father with everlasting life.

Gospel: John 21:1-19
”Do you love me? … Feed my sheep.”

Now that Peter and the others are reconciled and their past failures put aside, Jesus once again issues his call to follow him. This time what is entailed in the call to discipleship is spelled out---they are to address the needs of the world.

Gospel: John 20:19–31
Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving any more but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’

We are not merely looking back on one historical moment. Rather, whenever Christians practice forgiveness, overcome death in its daily guises–hatred, deceit, indifference, contention, violence, prejudice, etc —then the Spirit of Christ is alive and well in believers and the resurrection is expressed again in this moment and this time.

Because the evangelists were trying to use word and story to describe the ineffable and unthinkable (a resurrection??), we do not try to reconcile the various accounts. Remember however, that in the resurrection accounts, each evangelist reinforces the main theme of his gospel—his “good news’.