Today’s Gospel repeats last Sunday’s Gospel. It is part of Jesus’ Last Supper Discourse, His “Last Will and Testament.” Jesus emphasizes what is the core of His message in this last address to His disciples. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? It means to be loved by Jesus and hence also by God the Father: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.” This love is a free gift from God, it does not have to be and cannot be earned. God asks that we receive this gift of love, that we allow God to love us. Jesus’ love for us; His disciples means that we are His friends: “I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” Jesus emphasizes that He takes the initiative in loving us and choosing us to be His disciples: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” Pause and say to yourself, “Jesus is my friend, Jesus loves me, Jesus chose me.”
As friends of Jesus, loved and chosen by Him, we are called and commanded to love one another. We are asked to share that love we have experienced from God the Father and Jesus. It is this experience of God’s acceptance and love that empowers us to love one another. This experience of God’s love and forgiveness also empowers us to forgive one another.
Jesus does not give us a lot of commandments, really only one, “This I command you: love one another.” This love calls for action as Jesus shows us in His own life and death: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” As beloved friends of God how are we called today to show love to family, to friends, to the poor, to immigrants, to outsiders? What about people with whom I disagree? Does my language, my ridicule or caricature of their position need to change so I can fulfill this command of Jesus: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” (John 13:34).