Today’s gospel does not need any explanation. It is on the topic of love. We experience love differently, in different ways, from different people or on different occasions. Once I asked the children of our kindergarten whether they love their mothers. All the children unanimously and loudly answered yes. When I asked if they sometimes annoy their mothers, they all answered no. Afterwards, one child said about another child, “He always teases his mother.” We may think that children are like that or children react like that.
But it is a basic human tendency to think or to say that you yourself do everything perfectly, but that others are not okay or are to blame for mistakes. Criticizing or belittling others in order to present oneself well is a human weakness. The children often express their opinions directly, the adults do it more cleverly. But the commandment of love contains the opposite. One gives or sacrifices oneself to help, save and love others.
Love is a gift of self-giving according to the example and message of Jesus. When Jesus says that there is no greater love than one who gives his life, that defines the love that Jesus means, namely love is smaller or greater self-giving for fellow human beings. Jesus calls us friends, he gives us the commandment of love, he gives us the example of the love between him and the Father as a model of our love, he invites us to remain in his love, provided that we keep his commandments: everything touching and pretty.
But if we look at how people see the commandment of love or how we perceive and practice it in our own lives, we will find Jesus’ instruction difficult and have many questions about the commandment of love.
When we look at coexistence at home, in the neighborhood, in the parish or at work, we experience different events and situations in which different people are involved.
Implementing the commandment of love is not an easy challenge, but at the same time not an impossible one.
We sometimes meet people who always claim to be right, who will never trust us or whom we can never trust, people who always cause us disappointments. If we ask how can we love such persons and what we understand by love, it is difficult to explain.
The people who never agree with us, who have hurt us several times, who put obstacles in our way, how can we love these people. Or close people from whom we never experience appreciation, never hear a thank you, never hear a praise, how can we love these people. The commandment of love, as Jesus describes it, has a lot to do with respect, mindfulness and tolerance.
Because we Christians know that we are loved by God, we are also capable of loving, even if this commandment from today’s Gospel seems difficult to practice as Jesus himself practiced.
But if we see our fellow human beings through the eyes of God, without prejudice, then Jesus’ command: “Love one another” can become a reality and contribute to a successful, fulfilled life for ourselves and for others. I wish us good experiences in the coming days with the commandment of love, as Jesus commanded us. Amen
Fr. Joseph Pandiappallil MCBS