May 2, 2010: 5th Sunday of Easter

We need to remember that the love Jesus spoke about and showed us was an unselfish love that put others first.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:31-35)

We are still celebrating the Easter season, but today’s gospel contains words Jesus spoke at the Last Supper, before his death and resurrection. At the Last Supper Jesus showed what love is all about – he washed the feet of the disciples. He did the work of a servant. Jesus’ whole life was about love and life, serving and giving life to others by curing them or forgiving them or some other kind of healing. The one simple, yet difficult, command he gave to the first disciples, and to us, is to love. We need to think about Jesus’ life and words. We hear a lot about love today, but it isn’t always the love Jesus intended. We need to remember that the love Jesus spoke about and showed us was an unselfish love that put others first. It sounds simple, but loving is not easy. Many times the last thing we want to do is the loving or selfless thing that we ought to do.

Action:

We all know people we find difficult to love. We probably don’t like everyone, but if we follow Jesus’ command but we must love everyone. Think of one person you have a hard time loving. What could you do this week to love that person as Jesus loves him or her?