We Christians do not always reflect the image of Christ to the people we encounter in our everyday lives. Today’s Gospel from John 13:31-35, gives us the bottom-line on Christian discipleship. “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.”
The challenge in this passage is so huge that for many of us it is easier to put it in the too hard basket and move on to lesser challenges. What is Jesus asking us to do? He is asking us to love everyone, even the Judases in our lives, with the same selflessness, understanding and forgiveness that he offers each and every one of us every day. Try to imagine a world where Jesus’ new commandment is really practiced. St. John had a vision of such a world in our second reading. Revelation 21:1-5A, “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. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.”
The last line of this reading from Revelation is “Behold, I make all things new.” In 2nd Corinthians 5:17 St Paul says, “whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” What God makes new is us. We are new creations in Christ and as new creations we are called to radiate the light of Christ that dwells in us to everyone we encounter. St Paul reminded the Ephesians that “you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produce every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth” (EPH 5:8-9).
This week let our prayer be that everyone we meet will see the radiance of Christ shining through us and know that we are, in fact, disciples of Jesus the Christ.
In Christ your Son, O God of glory,
You are making all things new.
Make this new commandment of love
The very foundation of our lives,
So that, loving you and loving one another
We may show that we are Christ’s disciples.
We ask this through Jesus Christ,
The first-born from the dead,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
AMEN
