Why Christians Are Different
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you..” Jn 15:9-17
6th Easter Sunday Cycle B
In an ancient letter to a certain Diognetus we read what makes Christians different from all the rest. Here are some things written in that curious letter.
“Although like others in nationality, language and customs, yet there is something extraordinary about the life we, Christians, live. We share our meals, but not our wives. We live in the flesh, but are not governed by the desires of the flesh. We pass our days upon earth, but we are citizens of heaven.
We live in poverty, but we enrich many. A blessing is our answer to abuse. Many hate us, not because we have done anything wrong, but because we are opposed to what most people enjoy. Nevertheless, we love those who hate us.”
Are these also true for us Christians of today?
Mahatma Gandhi believed in Jesus Christ’s teachings. But he would never become one of the Christians because not all Christians practice Jesus Christ’s teachings. And what is Christ’s teaching? It is love.
In today’s gospel Jesus bade His disciples goodbye for He was about to return to His Father in heaven. He told them to keep His commandments if they really love Him. At that time, He gave them a new commandment which was to love one another as He has loved them.
It is not the first time Jesus spoke of the command to love. When He was asked which is the greatest of all commandments, He gave them two: love for God and love of neighbor – which were actually one. He added that by this people would know that they are His disciples through love for each other.
Lumen Gentium 16 teaches that all peoples belong to the Catholic Church as long as they do good. Those who do not belong are only those who do bad things – simply put those who do not love. Thus, atheists who love others and do good to them would also be saved in the end.
St. John in the second reading says the same thing when he wrote: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 Jn 4:7-10
Going back to Mahatma Gandhi’s challenge, ask yourself if you have been loving to people especially to those who need most of your love simply because they have been unkind to you.
Let me end with a quote from “Tuesdays with Morrie” a book written by Mitch Albom about his friend who succumbed to cancer. “It’s become quite clear to me as I’ve been sick. If you don’t have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don’t have much at all. Love is so supremely important. As our great poet Auden said, ‘Love each other or perish.’ “
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