In the readings from the Apocalypse and the Gospel we encounter two thresholds. In the Apocalypse, there is a new world where suffering is no more and God lives with his people. In the Gospel, Jesus is returning to the Father and giving his last instructions to his followers.
The Apocalypse, written in a time of persecution, is a reassuring book to read in our own time, when there is so much suffering and destruction. John uses figures like the Dragon, the Beast and the Harlot to describe the evil he sees in his contemporary world. However, they do not triumph. The image of the New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven reminds us that our origins are Judaic and the Church is the fulfilment of God’s plan, worked through his chosen people. The image of the Bride comes straight from the Old Testament, where Sion was seen as God’s bride.
The Lamb is at the centre of the Apocalypse and, in today's gospel reading, Jesus the Lamb is about to be sacrificed. He commands his disciples to love one another, having given them the example by washing their feet (Jn 13:14-17). This is the leadership of loving service. It is what distinguishes those who follow the Good Shepherd and reject wordly values. John continues this theme in his letters: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God” (1 Jn 4:7). This is the pathway to the New Jerusalem of the Apocalypse.