Acts 14:21b-27
Revelation 21:1-5a
John 13:31-33a, 34-35
For a start, I would like to ask you a few questions.
These are no trick questions; just general knowledge questions.
Also there is no need to shout out the answers because I know you won’t shout in church.
So here come the questions: Name the three wealthiest people in the world.
Name the last three people who have won the Nobel Prize for Peace.
Name the last three winners of the Oscar awards for best actor.
Name the last three winners of the Miss Universe pageant.
You may wonder, what is the point of asking these questions, when most of us can’t remember any of those names.
But that is the point. Most of us can’t remember much of who made it to the headlines of yesterday.
Well, those who made it to the headlines are certainly no second-class achievers.
They are indeed the best in their fields, the cream of the crop.
But the applause, no matter how loud and how prolonged, will fade.
And the awards will tarnish. And the achievements are slowly forgotten.
Yesterday’s headlines are stale news. They are yesterday’s papers, left in the corner and maybe even used to wrap doggy pooh.
Now here is another quiz. Let us see how we will do for this one.
Name three teachers who taught you in school.
Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.
Name three persons who have encouraged you and affirmed you.
Name three persons whom you enjoy spending time with.
Now, was that easier? And why was it easier?
Well, from the two sets of questions we can realize one thing.
We realize that the people we remember most in our lives are not necessarily the ones with the most money, or the most credentials, or the most awards, or the ones who make it to the headlines.
Rather, the people we remember are the ones who care about us; they are the people who love us.
So in the final analysis, what really matters is who loved you, and who you loved.
In the gospel we hear of Jesus giving us a new commandment.
It is the commandment of love – just as Jesus have loved us, we are to love one another.
What Jesus gave us is a commandment; it is not a suggestion.
A commandment does not give us an option.
Rather it requires from us a decision.
And if we call ourselves Christians, then we have already made that decision.
To say that we are a Christian, and yet, not fulfill that love commandment, then that is a contradiction.
Yet within us there exists this contradiction of sinfulness and holiness.
Within us there is selfishness, and yet there is also selflessness.
So when we decide to love, that is a profound decision, because it comes out of a struggle from within.
A journalist was watching the late Mother Teresa attending to a man suffering from gangrene.
The sight and smell of the wounds were just too revolting for him and he said to Mother Teresa: I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!
Mother Teresa replied: Neither would I do it for that amount of money. But for the love of God, I will do it.
Yes, love always demands the best out of us, and love brings out the best in us.
And love will also help us understand others, and love will help us see how they need to be loved.
Maybe let me tell you a pre-Mother’s Day joke, since next Sunday is Mother’s Day.
Four very successful brothers were sharing with each other what they gave to their mother, who lived far away in another city, for Mother’s Day.
The first said: I had a big house built for Mama.
The second said: I had a state-of-the-art theatre built in that house.
The third said: I had a limousine delivered to Mama.
The fourth said: You know how Mama loved reading the Bible, but her eyesight is failing. I came across this parrot which can recite any passage of the Bible.
Mama just had to name the chapter and the verse and the parrot will recite it.
That parrot costs $500 000, but I thought it was worth it and I had it sent to Mummy.
The other brothers were impressed.
After Mother’s Day, the brothers received thank you notes from their mother.
The first – Dear Milton, the house you built was so huge and I live in only one room but I had to clean the whole house. Thanks anyway.
The second – Dear Marvin, I am too old to drive. I stay home and have things delivered to me. I don’t use the limo. Thanks anyway.
The third – Dear Michael, you built for me an expensive theatre which can sit 50 people, but all my friends are dead. My hearing and my eyesight are failing, I won’t be using the theatre. But thanks anyway.
Finally, the last one – Dearest Melvin, you were the only son who had given a little thought to your gift. Thanks for the live chicken. I cooked it and it was delicious. Love you, mummy.
So, to be a person of love, we don’t have to be rich and famous, or great achievers and high-flyers.
We only need to have a heart which decides to love, and keep on loving to the end.
St Terese of Lisieux, the “little flower” has this wise saying for us: I do small things with great love.
Yes, small things like cooking a simple meal for our family members, helping those who call upon us. Spending time with those who need us.
Yes, to fulfill the commandment of love is simple.
We just have to do small things with great love.
And by that love for each other, others will know that we are disciples of Jesus.
And they will also remember how we showed love and that is, by doing small things with great love.