The gospel reading for the 5 th Sunday of Easter is short but has a strong message. Who among us could truly say and act that we are Christ’s disciples? This is a great challenge for us.

“As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” A commandment of Jesus that encourages us to give our love unconditionally. Only then could we be the disciples of Jesus, loving one another.

Looking into ourselves, how far have we gone in loving others to the point of giving our lives for them? Who are the heroes of love? There are a few of them who are known…the saints, great men, and women who lay down their lives for the sake of the love of Christ. Their absolute conversion made them known, but most of them are unknown, whose lives are sacrificed for the sake of the kingdom. Those unknown heroes are faithful to the commandment of Jesus, “love one another”. How is the measure of his love? It is the way Jesus loves us. And how does Jesus love? He gave His life for us: love and sacrifice.

Who are the heroes of love? They are simply present in our home, our neighbors, a mother who worked abroad and gave up her life for her children, a father who made every effort to make a living, a son or daughter who excels in school to ease their parents’ burdens, an older child to make room for their siblings’ education, a soldier who is willing to sacrifice his life for the nation, a farmer who braves the heat, a fisherman who stays up late to catch, a teacher who travels to far places to teach children, a devoted worker despite receiving little pay, etc…

There are still a lot of them. They might not be given prestige here on earth, but their great works are not denied in the next life because they follow the example of Jesus’ way of loving.

As followers of Christ and witnesses of His sacrificial love for the sake of others, we are encouraged to do the same. Can we be like him? Yes, in our little ways. We can put this into practice by being forgiving, helpful, and kind to others. Prioritizing others is a necessary part of loving them as Jesus loves us.

Let us ask God to grant us the ability to treat people with kindness, compassion, patience, and love.