The Naughton family of St. Paul, Minn., gather for the Lord’s Day prayer and brunch April 25, 2021. Pictured are Michael Naughton, granddaughters Siena and Ruth Gooding, daughter Clare Gooding, and wife, Teresa. CNS PHOTO/DAVE HRBACEK, THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Source & Summit: Sixth Sunday of Easter
(The faithful) taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the source and summit of the whole Christian life, offer the Divine Victim to God, and themselves along with it.
-The Second Vatican Council fathers in Lumen Gentium, #11
Source & Summit is a feature of The Western Kentucky Catholic online, celebrating the National Eucharistic Revival: Year of Parish Revival. Intended to help Catholics of our parishes to probe the riches of our liturgical year and celebrate the liturgy well, the column will always start with the Bible readings for the Mass of the Day to help us reflect on, and help to “unpack” and expand our experiences at liturgy into the domestic church (the home) and the workplace.
Sunday reflections will be based on the Lord’s Day, the Liturgy, the Eucharist, and, occasionally, community.
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Sixth Sunday of Easter
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050624.cfm
Acts 10:25—26, 34—35, 44—48
Psalm 98:1—4
1 John 4:7—10
John 15:9—17
I am a child of the 1970s and 80s, so it should be no surprise that my nostalgia gravitates to that era. I am especially nostalgic for the arts and entertainment; Saturday Night Live was funny, and the music was awesome — well, not all of it. The readings for this Sixth Sunday of Easter take me back to that era because I am reminded of a song released by England Dan and John Ford Coley titled “Love is the Answer.”
The song is about – well – the power of Love. The sixth verse contains a litany exhorting the listener to love one another, even in adverse situations. A few of the lines are “And when you feel afraid, love one another, When you’re all alone, love one another …” Now, I don’t know about you, but that sounds like something Jesus would have said. Oh, but wait, that is exactly what Jesus said.
In the Gospel, Jesus commands his disciples to “love one another.” Jesus left us his Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist, proof of his love for us, but the Eucharist is more than just evidence: it is the Body of Christ, it is Love, it is what enables us to love one another.
Our personal lives and the world around us are full of challenges, some good, some not so good. When faced with these challenges, we need to remember Jesus’ command and love one another, even when it is hard, and remember that love is the answer. Rock on!
-Deacon Ken Bennett
Deacon Ken Bennett is the Co-Coordinator of the Office of Worship of the Diocese of Owensboro.
To learn more about the Diocese of Owensboro’s celebration of the National Eucharistic Revival, visit https://owensborodiocese.org/eucharistic-revival/.
