First Reading
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

1. In this reading the circumcised “were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also.” Is grace available to all people? Does the Holy Spirit speak through people like Mahatma Gandhi?

2. Do you listen to the Holy Spirit on a regular basis, or just now and then? How does the Spirit speak to you? Are there some areas that are off limits or do you invite the Holy Spirit into every part of your life?

Second Reading
1 John 4:7-10

1. How was “the love of God revealed to us?” Had Jesus not come into the world, what would you know about God?

2. So what was the message God sent through Jesus about God’s own self? What is your response to that message?

Gospel
John 15:9-17

1. The one thing Jesus asks of us is that we love our neighbor. How would you rate this assignment on a “difficulty” scale from 1-10? Explain. What gift does God give you to help with this assignment (Cf: First Reading)?

2. According to Pope Francis, is Jesus’ love for us the same love as the Father’s love for Jesus?

Let us ask ourselves: what is this love in which Jesus tells us to abide to have his joy? What is this love? It is the love that originates in the Father, because “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). This love of God, of the Father, flows like a river in his Son Jesus and through him comes to us, his creatures. Indeed, he says: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” (Jn 15:9) The love Jesus gives us is the same with which the Father loves him: pure unconditional love, freely given love. It cannot be bought, it is free. By giving it to us, Jesus treats us like friends—with this love, letting us know the Father; and he involves us in his same mission for the life of the world.

Regina Caeli for the 6th Sun of Easter
Pope Francis, 2021