Jesus, speaking to his disciples at The Last Supper:
John 13:34-35
“I give you a new commandment: love each other: Just as I have loved you, so you must also love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”
It seems so simple of a command. We love our families and our friends, and we couldn’t imagine a world without them. So why can’t we do the same for our brothers and sisters who are not of our blood or close circles?
As simple of a command as it sounds, we know that love does not always reign in our world. War destroys the bonds that brings nations together and displaces those who call the land “home”. Fear makes enemies of friends and family alike. Greed makes us lose sight of what truly matters. In all of the chaos, what are we missing?
Jesus supplies this commandment to his disciples as he prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. The disciples probably did not realize in that moment the chaos which would ensue within the moments and days to come, with Judas’ betrayal, Jesus’ arrest and eventual death. Yet in all the chaos and complications that were to come, Jesus left us with a simple solution: “Just as I have loved you, so you must also love each other.”
Despite the chaos, confusion, and fear that we feel around us, the answer is simple – love. As we take each step on our walk towards life eternal, may we intentionally and faithfully choose to show our love to God and to all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. A kind word to a stranger. A hand to hold for strength and comfort. An embrace that says, “you mean the world to me.” From the smallest of gestures to the largest of declarations, let love be at the forefront of all that we do.
It is with love in our hearts that we pray: “Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of love. We thank You for the incredible and endless love which You bless us with each and every day. May we all seek to pour out that same love into all members of Your Creation, so that with each step we take, love guides our way. It is in Your holy and amazing name that we pray, Amen.”
Written by Kayla Eppel