Love is a deeply misunderstood word these days. Sometimes it’s reduced to denote a great delight one takes in a particular object or activity: “I just love ice cream and baseball”, “I just love your new shoes”.When Jesus says today, “love one another”, he’s not saying, have the same attitude towards each other as you have towards your favorite food, shoes, or sport. This love is conditional, fleeting, and fickle.
When he teaches us to “love one another as I love you” he’s really outlining the beginning and end the Christian life. We are created by God out of Love and we are created by God For love. Love is the reason we exist, and it is our purpose. I am supposed to love everyone and everything God loves.
Because we are called to love those whom God loves, this means that I am to love even the person whom I do not like or even know. My love needs to extend to every corner of the earth, because that’s how far God’s love extends. It needs to extend into every jail cell, into every hospital ward, across the political aisle, and even into the life of the hardened sinner, because God’s love is there, too.
When I begin my day and structure my day in terms of loving those whom God loves, something changes. I begin to look on others not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ. Going beyond exterior appearances, we begin to see in others that same desire to be loved as we have in ourselves.
Love is definitely a word that our enemy, the devil, wishes to distort and water-down. He says, only love what you like, only love what you are familiar with, only love when it is convenient for you, love only those who will love you back.
But, in Jesus Christ, we see love’s true face. His love embraces self-sacrifice for the good of the other. His is not just for me, it’s for everyone. And it extends to even those who reject Him, patiently inviting them out of their hardness. Authentic love is larger than my limitations and experiences. In Christ, we encounter a love that is infinite.
Jesus gives us the command to love. We pray, that today we will be faithful to that limitless love, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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For ever deeper faithfulness in following the commandments of Christ and for the grace to love those who are difficult to love. We pray to the Lord.
For lasting peace throughout the world: that Christ, the Prince of Peace will put an end to all enmity and division, and unify the peoples of the world.
That those chosen to represent us in government will use their authority to protect the dignity of human life and the welfare of the most vulnerable.
For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation or illness: that the Lord may grant his gift of peace to those most in need of it.
For all souls who await the resurrection, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
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