Easter V: Jesus' Farewell Address

One of the favourite forms of ancient literature was the farewell address attributed to a great person, and in which that person's legacy is summarized.  The author of John uses this technique in today's gospel pericope (13: 31-35) to express the core of Jesus' teachings.

The essence of this address is that the disciples (hence, the Church) should love one another as Jesus loved us, with a radical, unconditional, unlimited love.  Quite a tall order.  In John's gospel, Jesus is not found teaching love of neighbour or love of enemies, as elsewhere.  In John it is love of one's fellow Christian, whereby outsiders will know we are Christian. Whilst we acknowledge the centrality of love of others, including our enemies, in the Christian message, John is quite right.  It must start here among us who are called to be Jesus in the world and to build the Divine Kingdom.

In his nineties, the apostle John had to be carried into Mass on a stretcher at Ephesus where he would preach propped up on one elbow.  On the day he died, he was so weak he could not even raise himself. His final words, uttered in that last sermon were: "Little children, love one another; that is enough."

Notice that the old commandment, Love God and neighbour as oneself, issues in a new commandment from Jesus, to love one another as he loved us.  Both are commands.  To love is to not an emotion or a feeling or an idea; it is a decision we choose to make.  We may not at some moments very much like a spouse, dear friend, or frustrating child, but we continue to love them because we obey the command calling us to commitment.  Love is a commitment made, for the love of God.

In our Acts reading (11: 1-18) Peter is made to tell us that God has no favourite people, that all who love God and try to do right are acceptable.  What a concept!  That means we as Catholic Christians must be radically inclusive and non-judgmental.  Let that sink in.  That is the kind of people we are to be.  If the world sees bigotry, exclusion, and self-righteousness in us, it will reject our Christ.  And that will be on us.

So, as Jesus tells us today, it will not be by our theological correctness, or our moral purity, or our impressive knowledge that we will be known as Christians.  It will be by our love, demonstrated in acts of self-sacrifice and service.