The thing about love is that we act as if it’s optional. Like we have a choice. Jesus doesn’t actually give us the choice.
For Sunday
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Collect
Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Reading
From John 13:31-35
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Reflection
We should probably begin by stating for the record that this isn’t actually a “new commandment”. It is pretty much the commandment Jesus has offered frequently as a reflection of his traditional faith. This reads as far more like a rhetorical flourish than it does an earnest depiction of theological tradition.
Of course, when we obsess about this being a new command, we might overlook the more significant word in that phrase. Command.
This is not a new suggestion. Not a “Hey everybody, don’t you think you oughta try love for once?”
It is not a new invitation. “I’ve got a great bargain on love: buy one get one!”
We so often treat the teachings of Jesus like they are optional.
Like he isn’t trying to help us change our behavior. As if this were all just about getting us to be a little nicer. Maybe a little more loving and a little less…hating. As if Jesus goes around saying: “Now, I know you want him dead, but try simply hating the guy in secret a little!” It’s all so absurd!
Jesus commands his followers to love. We are obligated to love. Not try loving until it gets hard. And certainly not think about loving this time, if you get around to it!
As much as we know that this is what Jesus has commanded us to do, and as much as we like to pretend it is, instead, more like a strong suggestion, we mostly just like making excuses for not loving. Or creating gotchas to catch someone else not loving. That one is one of our favorite past times. We collect hypocrites like trading cards.
This is particularly easy in matters of politics. The Left can find it among the Right. The Right can find it among the Left. And independents LOVE finding it among “both sides.”
We also love finding the lack of love from our leaders, neighbors, and family members. All the people around us who just seem to be so terrible at love. Just not ourselves.
Perfectionists are particularly good at collecting failed loves. Especially naming a list like this one as proof of my failure at love. Of course, this all misses the point. And quite dramatically so.
We aren’t in the business of perfection—never failing. We’re commanded to love. And that we will be known by our love. Because people will see us and the love within us and know that we are in the hands of God. Because the love will radiate out of us.
Keeping track of love isn’t our work. Radiating it is. And you are quite capable of that.