The Gospel reading for this coming Sunday is John 13:3. Jesus, knowing he was about to enter His Passion and die, gives His disciples a new commandment: love one another. He boils His whole ministry, and God's entire message, down to this. He gets to the core. How hard it is for the human race to do this, the simplest of things, to love one another.
We live in a time (as it has always been) where certain people, many of them politicians, purport to be Christians, yet their actions are entirely inconsistent with the commandment to love one another. This is not new. Christian nationalism was the scourge of the last century, and sadly it is the growing scourge of this one.
So what is our responsiblity, as true Christians? To point out the hypocrisy? Yes. But perhaps more importantly, we are called to lead by example. If the government cuts off aid to the needy, we need to call our charities and ask that they take a little more from our bank accounts each month. We need to be kind to one another in every way. Others will see and follow. Preach the Gospel every day: use words if necessary.
One last thing. I think we shouldn't treat this moment as new and lament some mythical past where these issues did not exist. Thus it has always been, they say. Jesus lived more than 2,000 years ago, and still knew the need to give this commandment, love one another.
When we understand that hatred has always been, we are not looking backward to a contrived period when we feel there was equality and love; we are looking forward to the time where these things will exist. We are looking forward along that arc of the moral universe which bends toward justice and good. Only if we know that the best is ahead of us, and much shame behind us, can we strive toward love for one another.
May God bless us.
- The Older Brother
