5th Sunday of Easter

18th May 2025

Reflection with readings following after 

The first reading today is an arresting story in which Peter is challenged by God for choosing to treat some people differently. For his whole life time, Peter had been taught to understand that the world was divided into the circumcised and the un-circumcised, and that it was the former -and not the latter – who were God’s chosen people. His, and his community’s, reading of the scriptures explained this. His, and his community’s, daily pattern of life reinforced this division. And in the temple a wall physically marked this division. 

It wasn’t just a division that had come into being recently, but one which Peter’s ancestors had practiced over at least a millennia. This was a deeply entrenched, deeply significant understanding of the world and its people which defined what it was to be one of God’s people.

I’m sure that for us, there are habits or practices or beliefs that seem set in stone, time honoured, unchangeable and un-refutable. And that if we were asked to set them aside or even turn them upside down, we would be aghast at the idea. Or angered. Or terrified at what the ramifications would be. It is to Peter’s great credit that he is willing to accept and take on board this complete turnaround that is being suggested by God.

In today’s gospel reading we are back at the last supper and Jesus is sharing last words with his disciples to prepare them for the new age that is to come – the resurrection age. Jesus says he is giving them – and us – a new commandment that they – and we – should love one another. This is not a command to love our neighbour as ourself – a reciprocal love. This is a command to love as Jesus loves us – a love that no knows no limits, a love that is altruistic, a love that is absolute.

When we hear that, then perhaps we are not surprised that Peter is being asked to love everyone with the same love, whether Jew or gentile. What God is challenging Peter to do is to follow through with Jesus’s command to simply love.

How then does living true to that command look today? Does it once again ask us to set aside a lifetimes engrained habits – and prejudices? Does it ask us to love without question or discrimination those who seek asylum? Those with refugee status? Those with disabilities? Those with neurodiverse minds? Those with different experiences of gender? Those without jobs? Those without a fixed address? Those with less money? Those of different faiths? So often these are differences that mean people are treated differently by their neighbours. Or by shopkeepers and service providers. Or by government policies. Or by churches.

Do we have the integrity to act like Peter and challenge these examples where we see God’s will being opposed? Are we willing to speak out? Are we willing to lead by example and love all whom we meet without prejudice? Are we willing to write our MP and ask them to speak against unjust policies? Are we willing to stand up as a church community and be open in telling God’s truth? 

Are we willing to let go of prejudices we have held onto for far too long? Easter is the season of radical change, of new life and new beginnings.

Acts 11:1-18

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticised him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, `Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I replied, `By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But a second time the voice answered from heaven, `What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, `Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, `John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

Psalm 148

1 Hallelujah!
Praise the  Lord from the heavens; *
praise him in the heights.

2 Praise him, all you angels of his; *
praise him, all his host.

3 Praise him, sun and moon; *
praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, heaven of heavens, *
and you waters above the heavens.

5 Let them praise the Name of the  Lord; *
for he commanded, and they were created.

6 He made them stand fast for ever and ever; *
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.

7 Praise the  Lord from the earth, *
you sea-monsters and all deeps;

8 Fire and hail, snow and fog, *
tempestuous wind, doing his will;

9 Mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;

10 Wild beasts and all cattle, *
creeping things and winged birds;

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, *
princes and all rulers of the world;

12 Young men and maidens, *
old and young together.

13 Let them praise the Name of the  Lord, *
for his Name only is exalted,
his splendour is over earth and heaven.

14 He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants, *
the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Hallelujah!

Revelation 21:1-6

I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them as their God;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”

And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.”

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.”