A familiar theme for all of us… we have probably heard it many times over the years… love one another. Sure, we get it, right? I love my family, my wife, kids, grandkids. Of course! I try to love all those I work with and those I come in contact with… not always well, but I try. So, when I hear this passage, his command to love one another, I sometimes kind of check the box and move on. 

But why does he command this one, seemingly simple thing of us? That one thing that we may find difficult at times, or we tell ourselves that we are OK on this front because we try to love everybody. But why does he command this so specifically? Clearly, he places maximum emphasis on this. Let’s try to figure out the why.

In our lives, we have relationships that are contentious, difficult. Emotions are quick to surface, we get annoyed and angry… nothing is easy with that person. We frankly want to avoid that person or just get away from them. 

On the flipside, other relationships based on love are much easier, not perfect by any means, but better. We want to be around them, we laugh, support them, we trust, we smile. They make our lives fuller because love underscores and permeates it. 

So, why does he command us to love one another? Well, if more of our relationships were more love based, we would be happier, have more joy… and in fact we would change more lives. By starting with love instead of aggravation, we have the right disposition, and this is important, to do his work. Changing our focus from inward to outward. 

In the Gospel today, Jesus points to this when He says, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” He wants us to bear fruit and he has given us his love, right? His love is lasting, and he wants us to bring it to others.

• When people are lonely, we can bring friendship
• When people mourn, we accompany
• When people hunger for attention and companionship, we feed them with love
• When imprisoned in anxiety, loneliness, and fear, we visit them and bring his love

Our presence by itself brings his love. So, when we start with love as the backbone of who we are, even in our imperfect state and ability, all that he asks of us in our lives more easily falls into place. 

So, if you are thinking that this all sounds great in theory, but it is not really for you or you’re not sure where to begin, he tells us he will help us with the how and with the words… if we just ask him. He says, “Whatever you ask of the Father in my name he will give you.” Ask for his help, pray on the spot to recognize who needs your presence and his love, pray for what to say or to be OK with just being quiet and present. He told us to share his love, and that love cannot and should not be contained or restrained within us, it is meant to be shared. And by doing this, he promises something life changing for us too.

Jesus knows how we will be happiest in our lives. He knows the formula we should follow, that recipe for joy. He, in fact, promises that joy to each of us. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” I don’t know about you, but when he says, “My joy may be in you” I know I want that! I may not be able to explain it, but I want it because he then says, “and your joy may be complete.” The formula he asks us to follow allows his joy to be complete in each of us. 

By sharing his love one person and one relationship at a time, his joy becomes complete. We see and feel the satisfaction of spreading instead of containing his love to those we meet. Maybe it is only a little gesture, a kind word, a helping hand, a compassionate ear or a shared tear. That presence with them is his love… shared. It is not meant to be contained. 

So, why did he command us to love? Because all he has taught us hangs off this commandment. His gift to us is his love and that is our gift to give away to others. His love packaged within our love… so that our joy may be complete. He knows how we will be happiest in our lives if we follow his formula. 

His love, meant to be shared.