Laying Down Own Life for Others in Observing Jesus' Mandatum Novum : Paschaltide Conclusion for These Nine Days between Ascension and Pentecost

Called to Love One Another– Called to Bear Suffering Long for One Another – Called to Lay Down Our Own Lives for One Another on Our Apostolic Mission, upon Understanding Christ through the Paschaltide Johannine Sunday Gospel Narratives.

We are in this Ascension-Pentecost "inbetween" time of 9 days. During this critical novena days to conclude the Paschaltide, it is helpful to review the Paschaltide Sunday Gospel readings and discern what we are called for on our apostolic mission, which will begin on Pentecost.

While the Synopitic Gospels have Ascension narratives, which are read for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, John’s Gospel has no Ascension story. However, the kerygma of Jesus during the Last Supper in John’s Gospel (13:31-17:26) has a significant implication to prepare us for the Ascension of the Lord and the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on Pentecost.  Therefore, it makes sense to draw Gospel readings for the last three Sundays (V, VI, and VII) of Paschalae from John 13:31-17:26.

During the Paschaltide, the Gospel readings for the first three Sundays (from the Resurrection Sunday to the 3^rd Sunday) reflect Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to the disciples and how they reacted to the tangible presence of the risen Jesus. Then, the Paschaltide Sunday Gospel readings make a thematic shift on Dominica IV in Paschalae, a. k. a. Good Shepherd Sunday (Dominical Bonus Pastor), moving from the Resurrection theme into the Christological theme. In other words, the Gospel readings for the first three Sundays of the Paschaltide are on the Resurrection and the Gospel readings for the last four Sundays of the Paschaltide are on Christology.

Through the Gospel readings on the Resurrection for the first three Sundays of the Paschaltide, we reflected how difficult it was for the Apostles to come to terms with the Resurrection and how their grief, fear and doubt were replaced with joy. Then, through the Johannine Gospel readings on Christological themes for the last four Paschaltide Sundays (IV, V, VI, and VII) we first reflect not only who Christ is but also how his relationship with us in juxtaposition to his relationship with the Father. In fact, it is out of this Christological context in the Gospel readings from the Fourth Sunday (Good Shepherd Sunday) to the Sixth Sunday of the Paschaltide, the pre-Ascension Paschal Season Sundays, we can find the Holy Trinity, as Jesus mentions all the three beings in the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We learn how these three are related to each other and to us. Then, the Gospel readings for the last Sunday of the Paschaltide, the Seventh Sunday, taken from John 17, we appreciate how much Christ, the Son, loves us, in his intense prayer to the Father.

Basically, Paschalae (Paschaltide or Paschal Season) is to prepare us for Pentecost, and Ascension is an absolutely necessary condition for us to receive the Holy Spirit, descending with the power from the Father in heaven in Jesus’ name.  Jesus explained that one reason for him to Ascend is to let the Holy Spirit as another Parakletos (Advocate, Comforter) to be sent out for us (John 14:26; 16:7). This suggests that the Ascension of the Lord is a necessary condition for us to be empowered by Parakletos in the Holy Spirit (Penuma Hagion), and Jesus commissioned the Apostles to be sent out for their Apostolic missions before his Ascension and they began their Apostolic mission on Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, according to the Gospel readings for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Matthew 28:16-20(A); Mark 16:15-20(B); Luke 24:46-53(C)) and Acts 1. And, we are also to be sent out on our respective apostolic missions, upon receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, at the conclusion of the Paschaltide.  For this reason, we must be ready to be commissioned by the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord – so that we can spend 9 days between Ascension and Pentecost prayerfully as a novena, remembering how the Apostle gather together as one to receive the Holy Spirit on Pentecost upon Ascension.

Now, we are amidst these nine days between Ascension and Pentecost.  Are we getting ready to be sent out on our apostolic missions, empowered by the Holy Spirit, for evangelization with the Gospel, bringing healing to where there is affliction, and making disciples by baptizing in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit? This is to reflect the Gospel readings for the Solemnity of Ascension (Matthew 28:16-20(A); Mark 16:15-20(B); Luke 24:46-53(C)).  For us to conduct our apostolic missions, teaching and making disciples in all nations, Jesus wants us to be witnesses of his Paschal Mystery and his teaching, including what he has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47-48).

Here are two things to highlight on the bottom line in our apostolic commissioning on the Solemnity of Ascension to be sent out on our apostolic missions on Pentecost: being witnesses and what Jesus has commanded (Luke 24:48; Matthew 28:20).  Being a witness to testify who Jesus is, including his Paschal Mystery, and his teaching, including what he has commanded, can make us martyrs for greater glory of God (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam), as “witnesses” (Luke 24:48) in the original Greek text is μάρτυρες (martyres) . From this Greek word, meaning “witnesses” (pl), the English word, “martyrs” are derived. Therefore, there is an implication for us to be ready to die for the sake of Christ, who is commissioning us on the Solemnity of his Ascension and in whose name the Holy Spirit is being sent to us on Pentecost. And, it is Jesus’ expectation on us to teach what he has commanded (Matthew 28:20).  For us to be qualified to teach what Jesus has commanded, including his Mandatum Novum to love one another as he has loved us (John 13:34), first and foremost, we ourselves must faithfully observe what he has commanded. Certainly, observing what Jesus has commanded, especially his Mandatum Novum as witnesses to the Paschal Mystery and his teaching can make us martyrs.

Remember how the Gospel readings for Dominica V in Paschalae (John 15:1-8) and for Dominica VI Paschalae (John 15: 9-17) progress thematically, upon the Gospel reading for Dominica IV in Paschalae (Dominica Bonus Pastor) (John 10:11-18) on Cycle B?

In John 10:11-18 , Jesus relates himself to us as the Good Shepherd and the Father’s sheep that he is entrusted to care for. In this narrative, Jesus also indicates a unity of us as one herd with him, the Good Shepherd as we know him, and he knows us. Then, Jesus reminds us that he, as the Good Shepherd, has laid down his own life to save us.

In John 15:1-8, Jesus explains his relationship with us in another way, as we are in union with him just as the branches are so to the vine. In this metaphor, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches, while the Father is the vine grower, who has pruned the vine and has saved us, the branches.  Reflecting John 10:11, we were saved in the vine grower’s pruning, because Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, has laid down his life for us. Being so grateful to have been saved and being attached to the vine, we are now called to be fruitful.  It means that we are to bear multiphasic fruit of the Holy Spirit : love (ἀγάπη/agape), joy (χαρά/chara), peace (εἰρήνη/eirene), forbearance/patience (μακροθυμία/ makrothymia), kindness (χρηστότης/chrestotes), goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη/agathosyne), faithfulness (πίστις/pistis), gentleness (πραΰτης/prautes) and self-control (ἐγκράτεια/enkrateia) (Galatians 5:22-23), and this means to glorify the Father.  At this point, not only the Father and the Son but also the Holy Spirit is indicated.

In John 15:9-17, Jesus focuses on love. In this narrative, the union of the branches with the vine in John 15:1-8, is defined remaining in his love.  And his love for us is like the Father’s love for him. Then, Jesus reminds us that keeping his commandments means to remain (abide – μείνατε (mainate)) in his love, in juxtaposition to himself remaining in the Father’s love for keeping His commandments.  This is also for his joy to be in us so that our joy may be complete. Now, out of his union with us in his love and joy, the first two of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, Jesus reiterate his Mandatum Novum: to love one another (John 13:34) in light of John 10:11, as the greatest way to love one another. It is to lay down our own lives for one another, as Jesus has laid own his own life for us. And, this indicates friendship – friendship with Christ and one another.

Laying down our own lives for one another, as friends, is the ultimate way to observe the most important commandment of Jesus. Because Jesus calls us his friends, we are also called to lay down our own lives for him as witnesses (martyres) – as martyrs. This is the greatest of all in the fruit of the Holy Spirit, love, leading to another one – joy in its complete form – complete joy. And, this is what we are ultimately commissioned for as the risen Christ is about to Ascend in order to bring down the Holy Spirit for us to be sent out on our apostolic mission to be fruitful with love and joy, along with peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

A prospect of losing our own lives is frightening. However, upon receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, we can grow in our abilities for self-control.  As fruit of the Holy Spirit, self- control can help us overcome fear of losing life, filling us with peace to replace fear. It is an indication of increased faith, enabling us to be more generous, kind, and patience. Then, we are ready to lay down our own lives for our friends, including our best friend, Jesus, who has called us his friends, to keep his commandments. This is the ultimate mark of our apostolic identity: the greatest love of all – the greatest fruit of the Holy Spirit.

It is not easy to be apostles – to be sent on mission to ultimately lay down our own lives, in observing Jesus’ commandments.  Understanding this, Fr. Lac Pham, C.PP.S., suggested that we bear one another’s burdens, as a starter to strive toward laying down our own lives for one another and for Christ. Because love (ἀγάπη/agape) is patient (μακροθυμεῖ/ makrothymei ) and kind (χρηστεύεται/ chresteuetai) (1 Corinthians 13:4), it bears (στέγει/ stegei), believes (πιστεύει/ pisteuei), hopes (ἐλπίζει/ elpizei), and endures (ὑπομένει/ hypomenei) all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). This means that love enables us to bear each other’s suffering, because it is μακροθυμεῖ/ makrothymei, literally meaning, “being able to suffer long”. Our ability to be patient or to suffer long (μακροθυμεῖ/ makrothymei ), especially for one another, (1 Corinthians 13:4), is linked to forbearance/patience (μακροθυμία/ makrothymia), an element of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:22).

We are called to bearing one another in love as our efforts to maintain the unity of the Holy Spirit, with humility, gentleness, and patience (Ephesians 4:1-3) – to suffer long for each other as it is love (1 Corinthians 13:4) , which is first factor of the  fruit of the Holy Spirit. With the power of the Holy Spirit, as we continue to strive for bearing each other’s suffering for long, we will eventually become able to lay down our own lives for one another and for Christ, ascertaining the oneness with each other, with Christ the Son, and in the unity with the Father and in the unity with the Holy Spirit.  Knowing this, the risen Christ can Ascend and ask the Father to send down the Holy Spirit upon us on Pentecost.

As we engage in the Pentecost Novena, let us once again to reflect on Jesus’ Mandatum Novum as our way to bear one another’s suffering long so that we may be able to lay down our own lives for one another and for Christ, as we testify our union with Christ to all over the world.