Fifth Sunday of Easter

Today’s first and second readings seem to contradict each other. In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas remind the other disciples that they would “undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). But in the second reading from Revelation, John says there will be “no more . . . mourning, wailing or pain” (Revelation 21:4). These two sides of the Kingdom show how real our faith is. Life is frequently contradictory. A woman in labor moves from pain to joy in seconds after her child is born. She doesn’t forget the pain, but knows it is necessary for the joy of new birth. Only the artist knows how much effort and pain went into the creation of a painting, sculpture, or symphony. Married couples know that their love is measured as much by the sacrifices they make as by the joy they receive. This also explains how difficult it is for the wealthy to get into the kingdom of God. If everything comes easily to you, if you never have to work for anything, you may not be capable of the sacrifices that true love entails. Some may have had life so easy, they don’t know how to make the effort it takes to love God or people. And some who worked hard to acquire wealth don’t understand the deeper joy that comes from sharing with others. That’s why Jesus in the Gospel talks of his coming death on the cross as the way that God will glorify him. Even God does not do things the easy way. Jesus didn’t send a stand in to take his place on the cross. The cushy jobs went to the angels who announced the birth of the Savior (Luke 1:26–32), or told the women at the tomb that he was risen (Luke 24:4–7). It was God who was born in poverty, in a time of high infant mortality (even higher when Herod tried to kill the Child). It was God who suffered, from the Agony in the Garden through the Crucifixion. So when Jesus tells us to love one another as he has loved us, he knows what it cost. And he also knew that his death on the cross would be the beginning of a way of love that will eventually lead to “no more death or mourning, wailing or pain.” We’re not there yet, but we know we are not alone in our suffering for “God himself will always be with them” (Revelation 21:3).