Eating Together toward Peace – 15 May 2022 – Fifth Sunday of Easter

John 13:31–35

[This is] John’s account of what Jesus said to his disciples during the supper on the night before he died following Judas’ departure. It begins with Jesus’ declaration that now is the Son of Man glorified and God has been glorified in him. This represents a sense that the hour that the Johannine Jesus indicated had not arrived when his ministry began (Jn 2:4) but after he arrived in Jerusalem before Passover (Jn 11:23).

He then claims that if he . . . has glorified God (by his fidelity to his mission), God will indeed glorify him in response. Jesus then calls them ‘‘Little children’’ (v 33)—the self-designation of the Johannine community (I Jn 2:1, 12, 28, 3:7, 18, 4:4, 5:21), and declares that his time with them is short, and that while they will seek him, they cannot come where he is.

He next provides them with a new commandment: love one another. . . This command is linked with Jesus’ death as the ultimate expression of love and extends beyond the Torah’s command to love one’s neighbor (Lv 19:18); it is a call to lay one’s life down in service to the community of believers. –– Regina A. Boisclair

Acts 11:1–18

In the first century, table fellowship was restricted. Faithful Jews did not eat with gentiles: Jewish restrictions regarding with whom one could eat would mean that gentile proselytes to Judaism would not be able to eat with friends or family who did not also convert. This may be the major reason why most godfearers did not fully convert.

Peter reports his visions and understanding that the Spirit instructed him to go when he was summoned to Caesarea. . . Peter testifies that when he began to speak, the Spirit fell upon the household. . . Peter recognized that if God had given these people the gifts of the Spirit, which they had all received, who was he to question God? The community then gave glory to God for extending repentance to gentiles.

This passage paves the way to the gentile mission that will preoccupy the second half of Acts. It speaks of the beginning of the fulfillment of the Lord’s command to preach in his name to all the nations (Lk 24:47). –– Regina A. Boisclair

Revelation 21:1–6

Here John reports his vision of a new heaven, a new earth (see Is 65:17–25), a new creation, and a new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. This is a radical transformation; he reports the former heaven and earth as well as the sea (Rv 13:1—a symbol of chaos) have passed away. He is told that God now will dwell with his people, assured that God will always be with them, will wipe away every tear (Is 25:8), and there will be no more death, mourning, or pain. God then speaks directly to John and declares that he will make all things new.

. . . God instructs John to write his words that are trustworthy and true, then claims that all is accomplished, that ‘‘I am the Alpha and Omega’’ (v 6), and promises to give the thirsty life-giving waters (Is 55:1). –– Regina A. Boisclair

Regina Boisclair, a Roman Catholic biblical scholar, is Emerita Professor at Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, Alaska.

Homily Service 43, no. 2 (2009): 130–138.