Acts 14:21-27; Ps. 145:8-13; Rev. 21:1-5a; Jn. 13:31-33a, 34-35
“Love one another as I have loved you.” Just ponder the significance of this commandment. We are more ready to say “yes, but” than simply “yes, Lord”. “Jesus, you loved us unto death itself and yes but I am not perfect as you are perfect.” Do we turn away from this commandment and settle for some other teaching like “just be good” or “no one is perfect so try your best, God knows”. God does know and recognizes a lukewarm heart with no passion for living his love. As he loved us, he died for us. Who are we willing to die for? Who are we willing to sacrifice for? Let’s begin here for in sacrifice we die to ourselves for something outside of ourselves. Unfortunately, we sacrifice more for the dollar that for the “dolor de amor” the pain of love.
Jesus loves us that he suffered and died for us giving us his perfect love. Love is not a movement of emotion it is a movement to act. We are moved to action even knowing that the cost may be our very self. We act out of the spirit of generosity, kindness, sacrifice, and commitment for the good of the other. This is the love we receive from Jesus, the witness he left us to follow. Jesus’ love is transformative and we are to transform others through our love as we are being transformed by his love for us. When love works, it works for the good of the other and it results in an interior change in us. We recognize, “It changed me!” Are we a changed person because we dare to love one another as God loves us?
If our love is not growing then it is gradually slipping away. The world is very good at keeping us so busy with a movement to act not out of love but out of pride. It is the false pride that worries more of our own reflection than reflecting the love of God for one another. We can drive ourselves to burnout, working longer, doing more, expecting more from ourselves and others not out of love but out of pride. Driven to succeed we fail to love. As the song “Cats in the Cradle” says, “When are you coming home dad? I don’t know when but we’ll get together then, you know we’ll have a good time then.” Then never came! We are left to regret the lack of love that makes life meaningful and the kingdom of God is still waiting for our love.
We want our children to succeed but in ways that reflect success in the world not success to be the best God created them to be. We are created to know, love, and serve God with the gifts he has given us. This is greater than any title, position, or status in this world. Growing in love with God fulfills the promise, “Behold, I make all things new” in us. We are then both the same person and not the same person, changed by love. Are we still holding on to the old self remembering how it use to be when we were younger trying to hold on to the past illusion of vanities? Those good old days when we eat, drink, stay out late and indulged in our passions thinking we are “it”. It is time to awaken from the slumber and recognize it is not about “me”, never was yet how long will we keep trying to make God in our image than to be transformed into his?
Love is a transformation into the image of God. Love is a reflection of God himself. The highest form of expression of love is self-sacrifice coming to us in the sacrifice of Jesus to save us. This is love described in Christianity as “agape” which represents unconditional love not just coming from God to us but being offered by us to God. Is our love for God unconditional yet? Each day we are to die more to ourselves to love God the greater and it comes when we love one another for God dwells in one another thus what we do to the least we do to God himself says the word of God.
Jesus in his humanity demonstrated “philia” that is brotherly love to his disciples teaching them in all things. Jesus in his divinity demonstrated “agape” the unconditional love of his sacrifice for us on the cross. By our baptism we enter into the divine life called to this unconditional agape love. There are many good people in this world who share in brotherly love for others willing to offer support when they recognize a need for help and in this we have a common bond of humanity. Even people of no faith can act out of the goodness of humanity but are we prepared to go beyond our humanity and enter into the divinity Christ opened up for us on the cross? Are we willing to make it a sacrifice and grow in divine love?
We are born for “philautia” that is self-love but true self-love is a calling to love God in self by guarding ourselves from sin, taking care of our mind, body, and spirit from the temptations of the evil one. We honor God beginning with how we guard ourselves, guard our dignity and respect our own life for we are his creation. He has given us ourselves but what we do with ourselves is how we honor God as a gift of ourselves to him. Temperance is an infused virtue to be in right balance with our physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. In our mortality and as the temples of the Holy Spirit we are to govern ourselves first before we can be a true witness of God in our love for one another. How we eat, sleep, work, play and pray all signs of philautia, a true self-love.
We can then ascend to share with others in “philia” that is as brothers and sisters in Christ being in fellowship, sharing in the one faith and in the care of each other. Many people will claim “I am a good person” meaning that is good enough. That is not where God is calling us in the love for one another. He is calling us to see in Jesus the higher good of divine love through his sacrifice. Have we gone there yet? The Lord is calling us to do his divine works in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We are living in the age of mercy. When there is great evil rising in the world, God comes with great mercy. Jesus recognized that God was being glorified in him. God desires to be glorified in us. When we turn from our sin to God, he will glorify himself in us “at once” for is love is perfect.
What are the Lord’s works that give him thanks? We are the works of the Lord when we invite him that we may be instruments of his love. He works through us to fulfill his works. God dwells with us and works in us through the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit. He comes to us as we approach the table of the Lord and receive him in the Eucharist. God’s word never ends, always at work, seeking souls to work through. Will we receive him this day as he has loved us?
[JG1]And
Recent Comments