6th Sunday of Easter (10.05.15)
LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
When John talks about love in today’s readings, he points out it’s true meaning – namely, not our love for God but rather God’s love for us. This message is underlined in the Gospel :
“You did not choose me – no, I chose you.”
God’s love is based on choice. He shows us that He could have no greater love than to lay down His life for the sake of those He loves – that’s us, all of us without exception … just as we are….unconditionally; and this He did by willingly accepting the ultimate expression of love – His ignominious death on the Cross…in order to save us .
“ What wondrous love is this, O my soul!”….
It is a decisive movement of love …a challenge for us to try and imitate.
”As the Father has loved me, so I love you. Remain in my love.”
Because God loved us first, we have the power and the freedom to choose Him as we travel through life. We do this by following His command to “love one another just as I have loved you.”
How can we do this! St Paul’s exhortation in his letter to the Colossians (3:12-14) gives us a guide :
“You are God’s chosen race, his saints. He loves you and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and to complete them, put on love.”
This kind of self-giving and attention to the needs of another reflect something of the quality of God’s love in Jesus. By His grace, we can aim at choosing to give ourselves in love, even when the giving hurts, even when we feel that we have nothing left to give but our exhausted presence. It is that kind of love that mirrors God’s kind of love.
In the words of the psalmist: “Strong is His love for us. He is faithful forever and ever.” In the old “penny” catechism (the precepts of which were the rule of life for those of us who might remember!) we are also commanded to: “Love your enemies / do good to those who hate you / bless those who curse you / and pray for those who persecute and calumniate you.” There is nothing weak or sentimental about true love…a sobering thought indeed!
However, as a lamp that gives no light is useless, and a tree that produces no fruit is worthless, so too, a Christian who does not ”love one’s neighbour as oneself” is in the same category.
When we choose to be selfish and refuse to love as Christ has urged us, we build a wall around ourselves. We ourselves are the first to suffer. We thereby condemn ourselves to a “winter” of loneliness, bitterness, resentment, discontent – in which climate it is impossible to grow as people of God. Everything that is lovely within us – our capacity to love and care – is stifled or stunted. It is not surprising then that others would be put off and try to avoid us.
But, when we choose to make an effort to love as God has commanded – the wall falls down, and we open ourselves to others. Then, we are the first to benefit. We experience a “springtime” of friendship, joy, good will and peace. In this favourable climate we grow and blossom as persons, and others are attracted to us.
Nevertheless, to love as God has loved us, is no easy task. It requires much generosity of spirit, the will to forgive and forget, a non-judgmental attitude, seeing the good rather than the faults in the other. Bridge-building is costly, as the Cross demonstrates; but the people stranded on both sides of it are freed!
Of course, this kind of love is indeed risky. It can be rejected, misunderstood, misinterpreted, even rejected. It can make us quite vulnerable at times. Look where Christ’s life of love led Him! Not many of us are called to love unto death – apart from the small daily deaths to self, which are part and parcel of following in the footsteps of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
To conclude then, let us aim at “being there” for the other in good times and in bad, aware that it is a Christ-like way of living, remembering too that when our own turn comes to render an account of ourselves, we will be judged on how we loved while on this earth.