Jesus gives us the greatest proof of love one can give. For he deigns to hand over his body and shed his blood out of love for us. 

I can give away all I own to help the poor or even hand over my body to burn. Still, this does not always mean I love; I could do it for a selfish reason. But love does not at all have to do with being selfish. For to love means to seek the good of the other.

No, those who love are not self-absorbed. Rather, they go out of themselves as they take others to be of value, dear. And to value others so cannot but mean that they respect others. Also, they give, hand over, themselves to foster and strengthen the value they see in others.

Yet it has not turned out easy for us humans to love. And the polarizations of yesterday and of today bear this out. Hence, there is much we yet have to learn from Jesus so that we may get to love one another.

Yes, he teaches us how to love and set aside our own interests so we may seek those of others. And he does not just teach us with words but, above all, with deeds. He sets us an example so that we may do the same.

Hand over ourselves to Jesus so we may love one another as he loves us 

But, of course, we have to follow him and live with him so as to learn from him. We shall thus get to taste, see and grasp that he loves us as the Father loves him. For we can love only if we remain in God’s love that Jesus embodies. Indeed, in this is love: not that we love God, but that he loves us and gives us his Son to offset our sins.

And as we follow Jesus up close, we catch his love for us all, no matter our race, tongue, country, gender. His love, then, drives us to go out to the poor and the excluded with effective love (SV.EN XI:32-33). And with compassion, which makes us and those to whom we go out more human and truly of Christ (SV.EN XII:222).

Lord Jesus, grant that we hand over ourselves to you and learn from you to love one another as you love us to the end. Give us your Spirit so that we may not stray from love.

5 May 2024
Sixth Sunday of Easter (B)
Acts 10, 25-26. 34-35. 44-48; 1 Jn 4, 7-10; Jn 15, 9-17