And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.
Acts 9:26-31, 1 John. 3:18-24, John 15:1-8

On the Fifth Sunday of Easter, the scriptures invite us to dwell deeply on the essence of Christianity: a life rooted in belief in Jesus Christ and expressed through love for one another. Religion, if reduced to mere rules and rituals, loses its vitality. True Christianity transcends a checklist of obligations; it is a dynamic relationship of love with God and each other. When religion becomes legalistic, we risk falling into the trap of self-righteousness, mirroring the Pharisees' error of external piety devoid of true transformation.

Authentic Christianity acknowledges our dependence on God's love, recognizing Him as our caring Father who nurtures us through every trial and triumph. United as branches of the Vine, we form a community bound by faith and love. Just as a vine dresser prunes branches for greater fruitfulness, God refines us through His grace, guiding us to bear fruit in abundance. Embracing God's boundless love, we find liberation from fear and experience the joy of knowing we are cherished.

When Paul attempted to join the community of disciples; they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple, but Barnabas took him, helped him, and integrated him into the community. John in the Second Reading says, my children, let us not love in word and speech alone but in action and truth. “By this, all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Let our lives be a testimony to the transformative power of discipleship by breaking down the walls of divisions and recognizing our shared identity as branches of the same vine. 

Fr. Ikenna