Fifth Sunday of Easter, 2010

John 13. 1, 31-33, 34-35

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

During the supper when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

Dear Jesus,

I think I have read this Gospel passage a dozen times in the last few days looking for something – anything – to write about for this week’s reflection. “Love one another,” you said. Do you have any idea how meaningless the word ‘love’ has become in today’s society? O.K. That was obviously a rhetorical question. But what can be said about love that hasn’t been said thousands of times before and by people much more articulate and inspiring than I am? Help me out here, Lord.

Love, (see what I mean? I typed that out before I even thought about it.)

Jean

Beloved,

What do you mean, “…in today’s society”? I have never known a time since the world began that people have really fully and consistently grasped the true concept of love. This is not a new thing we’re talking about here. You’re asking what can be said about love that will suddenly change everybody’s perceptions, including yours? Wrong question. Try again.

Love, (and I did think about it.)

Jesus

Dear Jesus,

Are you trying to lead me deeper or get me to go beyond the First Thought? Why am I not surprised? Let me just get something straight here. If what you’re saying is that some profound statement isn’t likely to bring about a new attitude about love in me or in anyone else, then that must mean that the challenge of learning what love really means is part of the human journey, especially the Christian human journey. Love must be more like a mountain we are meant to climb or a sea we are called to swim, not a concept we are meant to analyze and define until it’s meaningless. Am I getting there?

Love, (This time I did think. And I mean it.)

Jean

Beloved,

Getting close. But go back to the words “climb” and “swim”. These are action words that infer that the action is yours and you are in control. This is all right up to a point but ponder on this question: Do you do something to love or with love - or does love do something to or with you?

Love, (have you noticed how this word is underneath all our messages – like a foundation…)

Jesus

Dear Jesus,

I think I’m getting what you’re saying. Love is not ours to ‘do’. It is not simply an action or a decision, although it includes those things. Love is not a thing. It’s not just an emotion or a set of attitudes. It’s not a law. You can’t legislate love because love is…YOU! Love is You, Jesus. That’s beautiful - but I have no idea where to go from here.

Love, (It really is like a foundation. Good thing. I feel like I’m on shaky ground here.)

Jean

Beloved,

Hint: go back to the Gospel. Note that it says that "having loved my own who were in the world, I loved them to the end."  Now skip ahead a bit to where it says, “Just as I have loved you…” Most people read, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another,” but kind of fade out when they get to “Just as I have loved you,” and in reality (my reality) you can’t have one without the other. If you are focusing on how Christians should love one another but don’t stop to ponder on how I loved my disciples, it will be like trying to drive a car with no engine. Now that really is shaky ground.

Love, Jesus (Ah… that feels better. You really can’t put me and love on two different lines. We’re one and the same.)

Dear Jesus,

O.k., so I went to the Gospels with the question in my head, “How did Jesus love his disciples?”  At first, I thought it would be easy to compile a list of how you loved them but as I read and searched, I discovered that specific instances of how you loved them are not that easy to find. In fact, reading about some of the things the disciples did and said, it’s a wonder that you found them loveable at all. If there was a way to fail or a wrong thought to be expressed, those disciples found it or said it. Then a light bulb flicked on. You loved them “even though”. That’s a kind of love we humans have problems with, Lord.  We tend to love others “because”, not “even though”. If we come at your love as a cause and effect love like a lot of our natural love is, we will never understand how to love as you loved. Your love was deep, ancient, all encompassing and ever flowing. It was alpha and omega love. It was and is the love that created the universe and all of us; it was the love that made you incarnate. Out of that love, you called your disciples by Name because you knew who they really were. They had no idea but you did. You loved and rejoiced in their true beings. 

You drew them to you because love recognizes the heart of the Father in his creations. You taught them in order to help them break free of their own limiting self-images and their limited image of the Father. You taught them so they could see life and have life. You shared the power of your love with them and showed them how to share it with others, not because you needed a helping crew but because you loved them so much that you wanted them to experience what it was like to walk, like you, in the Kingdom of Love. You served them and washed their feet to impress upon them that love flows from the bottom up, not from the top down. Love that depends on power is no love at all and will be toppled and broken. Power that depends on love is power indeed. Love is the power of one who chooses the lowest place because the lowest place is the place with the most freedom to love. 

You loved those disciples with yearning, a yearning so profound that nothing could have stopped you from choosing them, calling them, drawing them, moving them, forgiving them, teaching them, washing them and dieing for them. You loved them because you knew their true value. 

There is only one way we could ever hope to love one another like that, Lord. We would need to know from experience that that’s how you love us. It's hard to give what you ain't got. 

I remain

Ready to Be Loved,

Jean

Beloved,

Be still. Be open. Believe. Be loved. Begin.

And I remain,

JLEOSVUES (Figure that one out.)