"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

John 13:31-35

At the last supper, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

I have always loved the Gospel reading for the Fifth Sunday of Easter. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Just think what it would mean if the Church, Christians, faithful Christians really took those words to heart! As the priest said in Sunday's homily, if we had love for one another, we might not have had the Inquisition; might not have had the Crusades; might not have had a Hitler. If find if I am hurt by people close to me, irritated by the foibles and idiosyncrasies of my friends or family - I love them but don't particularly like them at a given moment - I remember Christ's words and act as if I loved them, I realise how silly and selfish I have been!