"We are a community of disciples inspired by the Holy Spirit to be living witnesses for transformation in Christ to bring about a world of justice, human development and true peace."

Word Sharing Circle (WSC) Reflection Guide
May 18, 2025 (Cycle C, Year I) – 5th Sunday of Easter

Community Word: The joy of Easter renews us to be shepherds in the likeness of Jesus.
Theme: We are shepherds in the likeness of Jesus when we witness to His commandment to love one another.
Promise: “… All will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:35)

Reflection:
As the resurrection of Jesus ushered in New Life, He assures us that He is always with us to accompany us and unite us to Him to fulfill His saving mission, sending us to help others experience that newness and enter into a relationship with God. This week, Jesus speaks to us about how we will experience that newness in His exhortation, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another,” (Jn 13:34).

God's love for us changes and refreshes all things. Everything that Jesus did in His ministry was done out of love for us, in His teachings, in the healing and miracles, especially in His suffering and death on the cross. His love is clearly manifested in His compassion and mercy, in forgiving our sins. When we sin, the Good Shepherd loves us nonetheless, and He searches us and rescues us to set us free. He rose again as a culmination of His love so that He can prepare a place for us in heaven for all eternity.

A genuine love for others must be anchored on the love God showed us. When we hear the divine command to “love one another,” we can take it to mean “paying forward” for the love that we receive from the Lord. If Jesus sacrificed so much for us, we ought to sacrifice for others out of gratitude. When we begin to love others as Jesus loves us, we become more like Him and we are capable of receiving more of the infinite love He has for us.

We see this sacrificial love for others in young parents who sacrifice resources, time and sleep to care for their newborn. We see it in members of the community who learn to forgive each other and give them second chances, extending compassion and understanding. We see it in mission outreaches where volunteers care for and feed the less fortunate. We see it in those who offer their resources to help poor children receive education. We also see it in seminarians and young religious who give up careers, marriage, and family for a higher calling to bring Christ to others.

The challenge for many people, Christians included, is that following the divine calling to "love one another as I have loved you" is difficult to do, as this requires one to die to self. But it is important to recognize that God continues to dwell in us so that we may experience His love, live His love, and let that love flow in the way we love our neighbors, our family, and community members, even those who may have wronged us. If we are followers of Jesus and are considered His disciples, our love for others must be in the manner that Jesus loves us – unconditional, caring, sacrificing, forgiving, and loving with all our mind, heart, soul, and strength.
Truly, when we love one another like the way Jesus loves us, we are assured that He will recognize us as His own. He tells us, “… All will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:35).

Prayer:
Lord, we thank You for teaching us to love through the example of Jesus. May our words and actions always reflect His love toward our family, friends, and community members, and even to people who hurt or hate us, from this day until we join You in glory. In the name of Jesus, my Lover and Great Teacher. Amen.

Reflection Guide Questions:
1. What are your struggles in loving others like Jesus does? How can you overcome them?
2. What actions can you take to demonstrate your genuine concern for the last, the least, and the lost?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
May 18, 2025 (Sun) – Acts 14:21-27/ Ps 145:8-13/ Rv 21:1-5/ Jn 13:31-33, 34-35
May 19, 2025 (Mon) – Acts 14:5-18/ Ps 115:1-4, 15, 16/ Jn 14:21-26
May 20, 2025 (Tue) – Acts 14:19-28/ Ps 145:10-12, 21/ Jn 145:27-31
May 21, 2025 (Wed) –Acts 15:1-6/ Ps 122:1-5/ Jn 15:1-8
May 22, 2025 (Thu) – Acts 15:7-21/ Ps 96:1, 2, 3, 10/ Jn 15:9-11
May 23, 2025 (Fri) – Acts 15:22-31/ Ps 57: 8-10, 12/ Jn 15:12-17
May 24, 2025 (Sat) – Acts 16:1-10/ Ps 100:1-3, 5/ Jn 15:18-21

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”

'"A new command 1 give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34 ​

Weekly: Theme, Promise, Order, Direction and Prophesies (bldworld.org)