Just Love

How hard is it to love one another as Jesus loves us?

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.  I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name." - John 15:12-17

Today's Gospel contains what sounds like a simple commandment from Jesus, to love one another.

It should be an easy task.  So why do we find it so hard to follow?

He is talking to his disciples, but John lays it out for all of us.  What would you do for a friend that you wouldn't necessarily do for anyone else, even a master or boss?

If we all truly saw one another as friends, would we continue to fight with one another?  Would there be hatred in our hearts?

Jesus told his disciples that if they ask for something, anything, in his name, the Father will grant it, so why not ask God for help in seeing one another as friends?

Could it be we don't really want to love one another?  Or are we afraid the other guy will take advantage?

The problem with love is that everyone needs to do it. 

And because we have a free will, God can't force us to participate.  We have to choose it, just as God has chosen us to be disciples, the test case.  Someone needs to start.

So, we have to stick our necks out and take the risk before anyone else will follow suit.

That's scary.

And when we get hurt, we have to keep at it, rather than give up.

Can we do that? 

Do we want to?

Or will we say, You First.

More to come...