Homily For Saturday Seventh Week of Easter Year C, 7th June 2025

Readings: Acts 28:16-20.30-31; Ps.11; John 21:20-25

Rev Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVE YOU PERSONALLY FELT LOVED BY THE LORD?

One of the greatest mysticists and doctors of the Church, St. John of the Cross, says in the first stanza of his poem entitled: The Living Flame of Love, “O living flame of love that tenderly wounds my soul in its deepest centre! Since now you are not oppressive, consummate now! If it be Your will: tear through the veil of this sweet encounter!”

This flame of love is the Holy Spirit that bathes the soul that encounters it in glory and refreshes it with divine life of love in which the will of the soul is united in the most sublime flame of love for God in Jesus.

This may be the situation in the life of John the beloved, one of the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, which made the scriptures describe him as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. What a great description of anyone’s personality.

This disciple had a peculiar share in the love of Christ and was admitted to great nearness and freedom with him that gives him the liberty which no one has among the disciples. This is evident by his leaning on the breast of Jesus at the suggestion of Peter, to ask him at the Last supper, who was to be the traitor.

The fact is that it is a great thing to love Jesus and be loved by Jesus. Yes, Jesus loved all his disciples, yet within that circle of love, there was an innermost place in which the beloved John was favoured to dwell. For those who display an extraordinary love for one are all the more capable of great affection for many; therefore, because Jesus loved John most, he has a greater estimate of his love than the other disciples. Though John was raised, others were not lowered; rather, they were raised with him.

John was of more intimate communion with Jesus than others. He was always wherever Jesus was. When all the disciples sit at the table, even Peter is not nearest to the Lord like John, for John will lean his head upon the bosom of Jesus with earnest, eager, intense affection.

Jesus loved him not just as a disciple but as a dear friend whose personality as a young individual has the most profitable opportunity of becoming eminent piety. He was the only disciple who was closest to Jesus and his mother at his passion and death.

Hence, Jesus entrusted his mother to him, saying Son, behold your mother, mother, behold your son, because in John, Jesus has found a soul that truly loves. And the more a soul loves God, the more it desires that God be loved and honoured by all, and the greater this desire becomes, the more the soul labours toward that end in all possible means, and this is evident in all the works of John the beloved.

Dear friends, have you ever felt loved by God personally? Have you ever been identified as one whom God loves? Have you personally desired to be an instrument of God’s love for humanity? Have you ever paid the price of sacrificial love? Has your love ever been rejected by those you loved most, or have you rejected those who loved you?

Today we are called to examine our conscience to know if there is any sign of true love of God and neighbours in us. We are called to make ourselves available for God’s love to abide in us. We are called to build a personality that gives room for love to flow in us and through us.

As we anticipate the solemnity of Pentecost tomorrow, we are called to open our hearts for the Holy Spirit to enkindle in us the fire of his love so that our souls will be transformed in love. And may this fire of love be extended to our families, societies, country and the world at large.

LET US PRAY: Loving Father, inflame our hearts once again with the fire of your love. Grant that we may personally and collectively experience your divine love for us and for all humanity through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a lovely weekend.