Gospel Jn 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.
“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”
This I command you: love one another.
It was Tuesday morning and I was reading the Daily Readings on my phone. When I reached the end of the Gospel, this stood out to me.
Jesus was always telling us to love one another, love one another as I have loved you, etc. But here Jesus gave it as a Command!!! “Love one another.”
If we love one another, we treat each person with respect, with dignity and we defend them and support then when they are in trouble. This is difficult if the person(s) are homeless wearing tattered clothes with unkept hair. It may be even more difficult if we know them and they are mean to us.
Jesus did not give any room for exceptions. This I command you: love one another.
