6th Sunday of Easter
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Ps 66:1-7, 16, 20; 1 Peter 3:15-18 & John 14:15-21
By Bro. Azam Vianney Mansha, CJM
The Commandments are a set of biblical principles which helps the believer to establish the ethical and worship manners for his/her own personal life. The commandments are found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament they are known as the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) and in the New Testament they are known as instructions from Jesus. One need to know that Jesus did not abolish Ten Commandments, whereas he fulfilled the Laws, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).
During the formation of New Israel i.e., the community of believers, Jesus gave few instructions/commandments so that the believers may bring much fruit and obtain eternal life. Jesus told his followers to:
Repent, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17): Jesus has invited his followers to repent i.e., to seek the mercy of God. Seeking the mercy of God encourages a believer to leave behind one’s fleshly desires and put on the Lord Jesus as Paul said, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14).
Follow Jesus, “come after me” (Matthew 4:19): Walking in the light means walking towards God as Psalmist said, “Once you have snatched me from death, kept my feet from stumbling. That I may walk before God in the light of the living” (Ps 56:13). Jesus is the Light of world and while walking in His light a believer obtains the Light of life, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). Furthermore, walking in the Light of Jesus also helps a believer to bring much fruit, “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit” (Jn 15:5) for the glory of the Father in heaven.
Love your enemies, “love your enemies, and pray for those persecute you” (Matthew 5:44): The love is the primary call of a believer. Loving other actually allows a believer to participate in the Divine activity of love i.e., God loved the world so much that God send His Only Son, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (Jn 3:16a). In response to Father’s love, the Son: Jesus loved the world so much that He gave His own self for his followers, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life” (Jn 15:13) and now the followers of Christ are invited to follow Christ’s example by loving others as well as becoming the ambassador of Christ’s love, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one other” (Jn 13:35).
Do not judge, “stop judging, that you may not be judged” (Matthew 7:1): The followers of Jesus are invited to not judge because judgment is a part of God and God does it with justice, “Surely, the Lord shall do justice for his people” (Deuteronomy 32:35). God will do the justice at the appointed day “he [God] has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world with justice” (Acts 17:31a). Whereas, the creation of God is only told to love one another.
May Mary the Mother of Jesus who faithfully followed the commandments, intercedes for the community of believers to obverse the commandments of Jesus and brings much fruit!