“I give you a new commandment: love one another.”

Did Jesus just say what I think he said?  Did I hear him right?  Now, I’m not confused about the “love one another” part.  I get that.  I’m puzzled by his use of the word “new”.  Would his disciples have considered this commandment to be new?  I thought that was what all of God’s commandments were about.  Honor your father and mother --- don’t kill --- don’t steal (property or spouses) --- don’t tell lies about others --- don’t wish you had the stuff that other people have --- isn’t that love?  What’s so new about what Jesus was saying?

And Jesus even goes further --- telling his disciples that “loving one another” would be the way others would know that they are disciples of him.  In other words, Jesus seems to be saying that there’s this new commandment he’s giving them that will become the hallmark of who they are, will become their dominant trait, will be what will make them “different” from everyone else --- and thereby declare to others that they are followers of Jesus.

Wasn’t that what everyone was supposed to be doing already?

Well, yes and no.  There is no question that the commandments (and the other 600+ Jewish laws) required people to behave a certain way. 

And they certainly served a worthwhile purpose --- keeping people from doing anything unjust or harmful.  Yet, many of them set a kind of minimal standard for people to obey, but didn’t necessarily make the “ideal” the “norm”.

And maybe most importantly, many of these laws and commandments didn’t really seem to address a person’s attitude at all, didn’t describe what was supposed to be going on within a person’s heart and soul as they obeyed what was prescribed.  And so, one could (in a sense) harbor all sorts of bad feelings and attitudes on the inside, yet be fully compliant to what they believed God expected of them.  And so some people might have been bitter about what the law required.  Or maybe obeyed the law reluctantly.  Or even resented the law.  Or secretly wished harm on others.  Or were jealous of others.  Or whatever.

And none of that is true love.

Once we start “watering down” what we call love we start moving further and further from what it truly is.  And if that “watering down” is drastic enough, we probably should stop calling it love at all.  The reason is simple. Every ounce of love we show others does not originate in ourselves.  Love has its origin in God. 

That’s who God is.  And there are no conditions on it.  And it isn’t given only once in a while.  And it’s not given out in tiny parcels.  No, God’s love is relentless and unconditional and unceasing.  It is a force able to transform every person and every situation.  And it’s what we are expected to share --- the love that comes to us from our God who has loved us first. 

And so, when Jesus tells his disciples to “love one another” --- he’s inviting them to love as his Father loves, as He loves, as the Holy Spirit loves.  He’s asking them to not pick and choose who they’re going to love, but simply do it day-after-day, person after person.  And it can’t be done begrudgingly. (Then it’s simply a chore.)  And it can’t be because there is something in it for the giver. (That’s just another form of selfishness.)  And it can’t be only toward those we like, or those who agree with us.  (That’s more like a private club.)

No, Jesus wants us to love in the fullest way possible, love in an extreme kind of way that is visible to all, in a way that shows that our faith actually makes a difference in how we live our lives.  Jesus wants the love we say we have (for God and each other) to actually be that --- love --- and not something else.

“This is how all will know that you are my disciples, . . .”

It’s kind of amazing that, as Jesus neared the end of his time on earth, this is what he wanted to make sure his disciples understood.  Remember, Jesus said lots of very profound truths --- told countless stories and made all sorts of inspiring speeches and authoritative pronouncements --- and yet, he doesn’t remind them of any of those things.  Genuine Love - free, total, faithful, fruitful, and sacrificial Love is what’s on his mind.  And he wants to make sure it stays on the minds of those who follow him.

We see this love on the Cross, we receive this love in the Eucharist….Do other’s encounter this love in us?  Is this God - Love on our minds and evidenced in our actions?

Love that transforms, heals, saves. 

May others know us for being a Eucharistic people who bring the love of Jesus to the world.