Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Easter

In today’s gospel Jesus tells us “I give a new commandment: “love one another as I have loved you.” He calls for love without limits,  conditions or prerequisites, a love that requires total commitment and trust. It is a kind of love with which God loves us. A model of the love we should have for others.

True love consists not in getting something from the lover, but in giving something to the loved one. The most familiar example of this type of love is a mother’s love for her child. Love should be more than just a warm feeling towards others; it should be a compassionate gift of ourselves to others. It implies a reaching out to others in caring attitude without  expecting any favor in return.

We are living in a world of superficiality. Cyber reality has replaced personal connection so that we don’t have to deal with real human  beings. These days, people prefer text  messages to telephone calls. We don’t have time to interact with people on the other end. In short we live in a world that denies our basic human worth. So, today’s gospel challenges us to love as Jesus loves in the ordinary course of our lives. We love others by responding to their everyday needs.

We love others by allowing ourselves to show our emotion publicly. We love others by comforting and protecting those who have  experienced loss. We love others by forgiving rather than condemning. We love others by challenging rather than condoning. We love others by responding to the call of God in our lives and walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

May God bless you.

Fr. Tomy

2025 APPEAL

This year’s theme: “Our Journey United in Hope,” is inspired by the theme of the Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope.”

 It reflects our collective commitment to walk on the path together with the hope Christ has provided us.

It invites us to be renewed in hope by bringing hope to others through individual gifts. Through our various ministries across the diocese your gift is shared and brings comfort, relief, encouragement and support to many.

Next weekend, February 8^th & 9^th, we will be holding our Catholic Ministries Appeal In-Pew Weekend. In preparation, you should receive a mailing from Bishop Sullivan that will include the 2025 South Jersey Catholic Ministries Appeal materials. I ask that you please consider donating to this year’s campaign. It is important that we come together to support our ministries. They need the resources necessary to continue serving those in need.

By supporting the Catholic Ministries Appeal, you are supporting those who comprise the programs and ministries of the Diocese of Camden. These ministries serve the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the hungry and challenged. When we support the Catholic Ministries Appeal, we can bring the light of hope to those in the Catholic community of South Jersey.

Please prayerfully consider joining us once again.