Today, on the 6th Sunday of Easter, is one of my favorite Gospel readings by John. It is all about loving God, loving others, and letting God love us. Just a few short weeks ago, we saw the ultimate sacrifice of love when Christ was crucified on the cross. It was a love that was self-giving, selfless, and active. When Jesus calls us to love one another, he is giving us a higher calling that is not easy. It is not easy to love those who persecute us for our beliefs, and how we may look, think, or act. It is only through the love of God working in us that makes it possible for us to truly love others as Christ loves us. Remaining in Christ’s love is the ultimate key. We must be full of Jesus’ love to have love to give to others and the world. You might be asking yourself how do we remain in His love? As the Gospel tells us, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Breaking the commandments separates us from God and can prevent, (by our own choice) the love of God from effectively working in and through us. However, when we obey and keep the commandments and align our will with His will, then we can fully be in a relationship with God making loving our neighbors easy. When we let God’s love fill us and spill out into others, it is amazing what God can do through us. Having an active love for others and the world just as Christ has for us is the most important aspect of our everyday life. Our world is a place where hate and violence seem to be the norm. The hate that penetrates our world has made a lot of people desensitized because it happens often. If we make a choice to love more, forgive, and be a little kinder to those around us, the domino effect will be unstoppable in the face of adversity, hate, and violence.
Jesus died out of perfect love for us and because of His death, we can have life in Him that brings life to others. Let us, therefore, receive the love of God and then selflessly share that love with others. So as you enter into a new week, and you are filled each morning with the sun shining and the birds singing, remind yourself how much God loves you, and ask Him for guidance on loving others the way He has called us to love. For faith, hope, and love remain but the greatest of these is love.