Gospel: John 13:31-33a, 34-35
“AND THEY’LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE…”
An oldie, but a goodie for many! That song from the 60’s is a lyrical summary of the prayers and readings in today’s liturgy.
In so many ways we hear today of God’s love for us and God’s message to “pay it forward.” In the Collect, we hear of God’s protective care. In the Responsorial we hear that God is gracious and merciful, of great kindness, and compassionate. In the Second Reading Paul assured his listeners that God would always be with them, wipe away every tear and make all things new. In the Alleluia verse Jesus tells us how to take that one step further to “love one another as I have loved you.” And we hear that again in the Gospel, including the oft repeated exhortation from Jesus: “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The question then becomes how to do that in our everyday lives; in our homes, in our places of work, within our friends and family, and with the stranger walking beside us. That will become possible when I truly believe first that God has loved me unconditionally. Only when I believe that, yes, I’m not perfect, but I am loved by a God who understands that perfection lies in trying, in falling and getting up again, and in realizing the same thing happens in everyone else’s life too. Jesus showed us the Way and asks that we do the same. It may not be easy, but He asks us simply to make the effort. That requires that I open my mind, my heart, and my whole self in compassion and mercy to all, whether easy to love or challenging.
Less than two weeks ago, in his opening words to us, Pope Leo has called us to “build bridges of peace and love,” an echo of those oft repeated lyrics letting others know that I am truly Christian…by the love I have and show to one another.
Sister Catherine Fedewa, CSFN
