Love Like Jesus
Today’s Gospel reading is not a post-resurrection encounter with Jesus. It takes place at the last supper.
“This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another?”
Do we love one another?
If we were accused of being disciples of Jesus Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict us? (Share)
To answer this question, we first must look at what Jesus meant when he said, “love one another.”
He said, “I give you a new commandment.”
But here’s the thing – “love one another” was not new in the first century,
Lv. 19:18 it was written “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
So what is new about what Jesus said.
Back in Leviticus, “love your neighbor” was limited to your fellow countrymen.
Jesus expanded this beyond fellow countrymen by the way he did his ministry. His disciples knew this. Thy had seen how he ministered. The tax collectors, the Samaritans, the lepers, the outcastes,
Jesus expanded the command to love even farther when he said, “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” How much did Jesus love? This much (extend arms).
He loved us to death! His own death!
If our ministry is to be the continuation of the ministry of Jesus, and that is what the disciples did – they continued the ministry of Jesus – then we must give with and open hand.
Here – take what you need.
Not – Here, you can have this much.
It is self-sacrificial love that attracts.
And it is not that we love in order to attract – we love because we are loved by Jesus and we are following in his footsteps.
Attracting others to Jesus is a fruit of our love – it is not the reason for our love.
So back to my question, If we are accused of being disciples of Jesus Christ, is there enough evidence to convict us? (Share)
is there enough evidence to convict us? I don’t know…
Ask the family with young children who sometimes are distracting in church…
I heard a story about someone who once handed a card to the mom of a young family that said “thank you for bringing your children to church. They bring such joy and such life to our liturgy.”
See the love that this person showed – she knew this family would be there because she had seen them before. She noticed how the mom seemed concerned about the kids being distracting. She took the time to prepare a card with kind words for the family and brought it with her.
Is there enough evidence to convict us? I don’t know, ask the stranger…there should be no strangers here. If he came through our doors, he should be greeted, welcomed. As he sits down he should be welcomed. We should move willingly to make room for him. If he seems confused about anything, we should notice and help him.
So here’s a challenge – if there is someone sitting near you who you do not know – introduce yourself and say, I’m happy you’re here.
Is there enough evidence to convict us? I don’t know, ask the person who comes to the 24/7 food pantry to get food in the cloak of darkness. This one is much more difficult – How could we help them feel the love of Jesus?
As disciples of Jesus, what would the Master have us do?
How do we help hose who come meet more than the hunger for food?
How do we meet spiritual needs as well as corporal needs?
Paul and Barnabas were good at making disciples. Our first reading tells us that they had traveled to seven different cities and “made a considerable number of Disciples.”
They were disciples themselves, and they were opening the door of faith in Jesus Christ to others, who were telling others, and making more disciples. This is spiritual multiplication.
Becoming a disciple has four distinct stages.
- Encounter – Paul was knocked to the ground. Peter caught the catch of his life! Mary of Magdala and the woman at the well were loved by Jesus in spite of their failings. Encounters help us to know that Jesus loves us and that his love can give us what you are seeking – meaning and purpose in live, love, acceptance, forgiveness. Maybe this encounter is for the first time – may it is not the first time – but it draws us deeper into the love of Jesus. And then we drop our nets and follow Jesus – for the first time or in a new direction
- Follow Jesus – listen to what he says, watch what he does, see how he loves and begin to love that way. Paul and Barnabas learned about Jesus from the Apostles who had walked with Jesus. They came to know his love through the Apostles and the way that they were welcomed into the community of believers.
- We, too, come to love Jesus and to Worship This is where Catholic worship begins to make sense. This is when Eucharist, Communion comes to mean so much to us – our time closeness with Jesus – our thanksgiving for how he is changing our life for good!
- Then – filled with the love of Jesus – we cannot help but share Jesus with others. Tell them about what he has done for us – let me tell you about my Jesus! Share our story. We all have a story.
Encounter – Follow – Worship – Share
John saw a new heaven and a new earth. That vision begins here – today – in our lives and in our church.
It does not come to fruition here – not yet – but it begins here. The kingdom of God begins among us.
God himself – amazingly – desires to dwell with us!
He wants to be always with us to “wipe away every tear until there is no more death, mourning, wailing or pain.
Jesus said, “Behold, I make all things, new.”
Today, let us let Jesus make us new!