Easter5C22.   Acts of the Apostles 14:21-27.    In proclaiming the ‘good news’, Paul and Barnabas “made a considerable number of disciples.”  Recognizing that it is not easy to remain truly faithful, they encouraged the new Christians to persevere.  Returning to Antioch, Paul and Barnabas “reported what God had done with them in opening “the door of faith to the Gentiles.”  It is the Holy Spirit who does the good work using us as his earthly instruments.

John 13:31-33a, 34-35.   Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”  The brilliance or glory of Jesus’ divine love was to be seen in Jesus’ offering himself for us on the cross.  No love could be imagined greater than that of God-made-man suffering and dying for us.  His love for us becomes the measure by which we are to love one another.  The old measure that was that we were to love others as we loved ourselves is done away with.  The wondrous glory or infinite greatness of God shows that God is the measure or standard by which everything else is measured.  We give glory to God by respecting him as the measure of all things.  In John 15:12 Jesus said: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Revelation 21:1-5a.  John saw a new universe and a new holy city “coming down out of heaven from God”; the old universe had passed away.  He “heard a loud voice from the throne (of God) saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God.”God expresses his glory by embracing us as his people forever, made “in his image,” “after his likeness.” (Genesis 1:26b, 27a)  As God is, so should we be: loving, as God is loving; holy, as God is holy.  We live on the same old earth but as a distinctly new creation, remade by the divine breathe of life from the Holy Spirit.