Dear friends, in the gospel passage selected for our reflection today Jesus told His disciples that the hour has come for God the Father to glorify His Son. But before that would happen, Jesus had one last message for all His disciples; it is what He called a new commandment. He said to them and He says to us who listen now “… 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.” (John13:34-35).
Indeed, every disciple of Jesus can be distinguished from the rest of the world only insofar as our love is genuine and sincere and all- embracing. By the type of love with which we approach and handle the issues of our daily life, people will see and know the difference.
When we are able to love sincerely without choosing and picking, we shall be co-creating the new heaven and the new earth that St. John spoke about in the book of revelation when he said, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God… I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be His people and God Himself will always be with them as their God… for the old order has passed away.’”
If God dwells among His people as their Lord and God, then His people must love all that belongs to Him; all that God loves and cherishes, particularly the unborn
Indeed for us to experience the new heaven and the new earth begun in the blood of Jesus Chris, we must learn to love one another. We must make sacrifices for the benefit of others, particularly the weak and the voiceless.
Unfortunately however, our world fails to understand that it is the weak and vulnerable among us that need greater love, better understanding and protection.
And speaking of the weak, we call to mind the unborn who deserve love from everyone of us. Somehow, some among us see the unborn as a nuisance. So laws have been made in many countries to terminate their lives. But our church stands out as a lone voice to cry out for Christ, “Love one another as I have loved you.” In speaking out for the voiceless and the truly vulnerable in out world we make present the Love for which Christ Jesus Sacrificed His life. In love, God’s mercy comes alive. It is our responsibility to bring Christ’s message alive and to show love by saving life.