|
| Illustration by
Phil Younk |
|
"I love it!” How often we use the word “love” when we talk: “I love hamburgers;” “I love playing baseball or soccer;” “I love my new bike.” What we really mean is, “I like hamburgers and enjoy eating them;” “I like and enjoy playing baseball or soccer;” “I like riding my new bike.” When we say, “I love ….” we often mean it’s something which satisfies us and gives us pleasure.
While we celebrate the Easter Season, this Sunday’s Gospel deals with the Last Supper. Jesus and his disciples are in the upper room to celebrate the Jewish Passover. After Jesus washes the disciples’ feet and Judas leaves the room, Jesus tells them he will be leaving them soon.
Jesus says to his disciples, “I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
What is “new” about this commandment is how Jesus showed his unselfish love for others while on earth. Growing up in Nazareth, he was loving, obedient, and helpful to Mary and Joseph. When he began teaching, Jesus showed his love for others by performing many miracles such as changing the water to wine at the wedding feast in Cana; and healing the lepers. Jesus’ love helped people to accept God in their lives.
Jesus’ gift of total, unselfish love was his suffering and death on the cross and his Resurrection so someday we can share heaven with him forever.
You can show Jesus’ love by obeying your parents, by being kind to others, by forgiving others when they hurt you, by helping others, by being cheerful and thoughtful to someone who is sad, lonely, or sick, and by saying “I’m sorry” when you hurt someone.
Sometimes it’s easy to love others, sometimes it’s hard. But, by our faith in Jesus and by our unselfishly trying to love others as Jesus loved, we, too, can help people to know God and his goodness.
Then, we are doing what Jesus commanded, and “People will know we are Christians by our love!”
(Couture is a catechist at St. Aloysius Parish, West Allis.)
|
