Reading 2REV 21:1-5A
Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away.”
The One who sat on the throne said,
“Behold, I make all things new.”
GospelJN 13:31-33A, 34-35
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”
…I give you new commandment.
Word new means new in nature Kainos, not new in time neos
Which corresponds to the second reading:
John saw new heaven and new earth
That same word new Kainos is used there
New earth is not about God just making new earth
But it s more about deep transformation of the universe
.., the sea is no more….- evil is defeated
It’s not only about end of the world time
But more about new reality God is creating among us
New in nature Kainos . Not just new in time.
God creates new heaven and earth
and the center of this new creation is the Holy City Jerusalem
that descends As a Bride and so God dwells with his people.
The Holy City, New Jerusalem is an image of the Church. Bride of Christ
And another new thing here, part of the new heaven and earth
is that God Dwells with his people
Emanuel God with us.
God is truly with us and among us. In His Church. In Sacraments.
In Jesus we become Gods adopted children, born of his love
And because of this love we are called to go and proclaim the Good news to others
This is not only end of the time vision.
It is what is happening now and what we are part of.
New heaven and earth is created by Jesus’ victory over death,
And there is new commended that rules in the new order:
love one another
What is new there is measure of love.
The Old Testament Law in Leviticus 19:18 says:
Love your neighbor as yourself
New commandment given by Jesus says:
Love one another. As I have loved you so you also should love one another!
We are called to love with the same self-sacrificial love Jesus shown us.
New commandment is the law of new heaven and earth. The one we are living now in already.
It is time to quit waiting for something new to come.
It is happening now
Renewal and transformation of the whole world is happening right now.
We can ask ourselves how much we are part of this new reality in Christ?
How much do we love others as Christ loved us?
vessel4him 