[Jesus said], “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” –John 13:34-35
Yesterday, I started reading a book on “the problem of evil,” God Can’t by Thomas Jay Oord. Not sure yet what I think about the book, but I like the author’s simple definition of “love”. Love, he says, is to “act intentionally in response to God and others, to promote overall well-being.” Paul puts it this way:
“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1Corinthains 13:4-7).
As the Word of God, Jesus embodied this love and calls upon us to reflect his self-giving love in the world. In the face of this pandemic, I’ve seen heroic and inspiring stories illustrating this in the media. But I also know people are loving like this in a thousand little ways that will never make the news. Why? Because they know that’s how Jesus wants us to be with one another.
Peace,
Bishop Mike
NOTE: The word "Maundy" comes from the Greek word for "commandment."