This homily is titled, “Bring on the New!” //
Do
you like things that are new? Of course
you do. We Americans love new things!
In
the Gospel today Jesus gives us a new commandment.
It is not complicated. It is not
complex. It is not difficult to
understand, not difficult to comprehend, though it often can be difficult to
put into practice. It is this; “Love
one another.” Three simple
words. But they pack a whallop!
Then
Jesus comments, “This
is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another.”
So, if you wish to be a
disciple of Jesus, then what you have to do is love. Love, love, love, love, love, love,
love. That’s all.
Simple,
but difficult. Because the kind of love
that Jesus is talking about is NOT an emotion, not a feeling, not a sentiment. The kind of love that Jesus is talking about
is the kind of love He practiced. And
His love was not gushy, not sentimental, not gooey. His love is other directed. His love is for the other. His love pushes through the embarrassment and
the inconvenience and the self-consciousness, and focusses on the other. Jesus’ love is mature and strong and
other-directed. His love is
constant. His love shares. His love looks out for the other. His love is tough and strong and real. And that is how we are to love. “This
is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another.”
Such
love does not come easily. It takes
work. Just like gaining proficiency in a
sport takes work, and learning calculus or another language takes work, or
building a business takes work, or just about any significant accomplishment
takes work, so loving one another is work.
This
is why in our first reading we heard: “They
strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the
faith, saying,
"It
is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of
God.”
It
is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. What kind of encouragement is that? Does it make you want to sign up right
away? Wow, this is going to be
difficult, with many hardships! I can
hardly wait!
Well,
it is honest. It is truthful. Our nature is lazy and self-centered and
stingy. Loving one another is fine when
it makes us feel all warm and fuzzy. But
loving one another goes against the grain when it requires work, and sacrifice,
and persistent commitment. Yes, it IS necessary
for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. God’s Kingdom ain’t for sissies.
It
is hard. But it is worth it. And you and I, all of us here, are invited
into this wonderful Kingdom. How do we
get there? The Gospel today tells us. Love one another.
That
is something all of us can do. If you
are rich or poor; if you are man or
woman; if you are black or white or brown
or green; if you are straight or gay or
confused; if you are native-born or
immigrant; if you are Republican or
Democrat or Independent; if you are
Longhorn or Aggie; if you are brilliant
or very, very simple; it
does not matter. You can keep this
commandment of Jesus to love. Love one
another.
Jesus
tells us this is a new commandment.
It is not new in the sense of never being heard before. Rather, it is new instead in terms of its
radical centrality, its import, its place as the essence of Jesus’
teaching. Love one another.
And
this new commandment, simple yet profound, begins to usher in God’s
Kingdom here on earth, now in this time.
This commandment - in its effect and centrality - is new.
We
are given a vision of that newness, that fresh start this new commandment
ushers in in the second reading today from the Book of Revelations:
"Behold,
God's dwelling is with the human race.
He
will dwell with them and they will be his people
and
God himself will always be with them as their God.
He
will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and
there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for
the old order has passed away.”
The
One who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new.”
And that newness is the
commandment to love one another.
AMEN.
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