May 5, 2024
Loving is not always easy, but it is what we are called to do.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples: Love one another as I have loved you. It sounds so simple. But it can be very difficult. Still, Jesus’ words can help us step back from these difficulties and try to find that foundation of love from which we are to begin all inter-actions with one another.
This is what we see demonstrated in today’s reading from Acts. There was controversy in the early Church about what requirements would be made for someone asking to be baptized in the name of Jesus. God reveals to Peter that whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him, Gentile or Jew.
In our second reading, taken from John’s first letter, love is again put forth as the mark of one who knows God and follows the teachings of Jesus. In this letter, the words of Jesus are reiterated – that love originated with God, in fact, that God is love. And God loved us, his creation, so much, that he sent his only begotten Son to redeem us and make it possible for us to have life everlasting in heaven. But God has also loved us enough that he has given us free will, to accept or reject the love he has offered. If we accept it, we will, in turn, love others as he has loved us. And how has he loved us? Generously, lavishly, sacrificially.
To love others in this manner-generously, lavishly and sacrificially-is how we are to love one another. However, to love in this manner does not always come easily. Love like this takes courage. At times we need to be the first one to extend an act of goodwill in a painful situation. To love like this means that our sense of what is fair and right is not dependent on someone else’s actions. Our love is given because it is ours to give; it is our choice.
We do not merit God’s love and grace. They are freely given to us. The more we receive those gifts of love and grace, the more we are able to choose to offer them to others. To love like God loves us means we need to pray to God to discern his will in our lives, and we need to receive the sacraments. The Eucharist nourishes us and strengthens us and the sacrament of reconciliation softens our hearts, and helps us experience our own sinfulness so we are open to receive God’s pardon, mercy and love. In doing so, we can foster a disposition of the heart that will enable us to recognize when we need to offer compassion and mercy to those we encounter.
Today, let us consider how we love one another. How we love those who are difficult to love. How we love those who wish us harm. How we love those who are different from us. How we love those we do not really know. It is easy to love those who love us. The true sign of one who loves as Jesus taught us to love is that he or she loves those who are a challenge to love. The payoff is worth the effort, because we are reminded that whoever loves as Jesus taught will find their joy complete.