Scripture readings for this reflection can be found at Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter | USCCB
In our gospel for today Jesus is very clearly letting
us know how we are to live if we are to be His followers: “Love one another asI love you.” This is no “suggestion” from Jesus, but rather a commandment. In
very clear words, Jesus says “This is my commandment.” He’s not saying to
“like” one another, or just to tolerate one another, but to “love one another.”
Following this commandment from Jesus is often challenging
and difficult to do. We encounter people who have no understanding of what it
means to “love one another.” They may come across as mean and belligerent
towards us. It would be easy to respond in the same way and be rude and mean to
them, as well. But we, as followers of Jesus Christ, are called to respond with
love and patience. We all have different temperaments and personalities that
make getting along and loving one another difficult. We are to respond to
everyone with the love and respect that Jesus is calling us to have for
everyone.
In our own country recently, we have issues of hate
and violence that go contrary to what Our Lord is teaching us. It has led to
the death of innocent people made in the image of God. Racial hatred and
intolerance go against everything Jesus taught us. We are called to bring the
love of Jesus to all we meet no matter who they are or what their ethnic
background happens to be and to remove that hate and intolerance that is
plaguing our country.
There are two things that Martin Luther King Jr. said,
“Love is the only force capable of
transforming an enemy into a friend” and “I have decided to stick with love.
Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
As we live out our day
today, let us keep in mind this teaching of Jesus as we encounter each person
we meet: “This I command you: love one another.” Then as we share the love of
Jesus with all we meet, we will then have a world that is becoming more God
centered and reflecting the love of Jesus Christ.
Fortunately there is a distinction between the way the world defines "love" & the way the LORD defines love.
ReplyDeleteIn the world & in the English language the word "love" is defined as a feeling that is a strong positive feeling toward someone or something that is even stronger than "like" & it can apply to one's favorite food ("I LOVE ICE CREAM"), favorite style of music, favorite sports team, pets, close family or close friends, or romantic love. Love in the worldly definition often involves "a warm fuzzy feeling". So when told we are commanded by the LORD to love one another & that includes some very difficult people we are inclined to respond "How can I LOVE them when I don't even LIKE them!"
The GOOD NEWS is that in the LORD'S definition, love is not a feeling but an act of the will. Warm fuzzy feelings and/or feelings of affection and/or even liking the person are not required. Love is willing good for the other person & doing what the person needs to achieve what is for his/her good, even when it means sacrifice on our part. We cannot always control how we feel toward someone who "rubs us the wrong way" or has hurt us or hurt someone we love & we give that feeling over to GOD, but we can & must speak & act in a way that does no harm but does that person good.
Naturally it is upsetting to have negative feelings toward someone, but we don't have to guilty if we place our feelings before the LORD, we don't fawn over the person like a HYPOCRITE, but we treat the person respectfully & politely & help him/her the best way we can.
Email from Nilda: I agree with both of your inputs on what the Lord's commandment refers to with the words:
ReplyDelete"Love one another as I love you!"...
and I summarize it all with one word, to be clothed in Humility when relating with one
another.
In Christ Jesus,
Nilda