If someone asked us if we loved Jesus, we would say, “Sure, of course.” If they then asked us if we really knew Jesus, would we also say, “Sure, of course?” If we paused with our answer, they’d probably say, “How can you really love Him if you don’t really know Him?”… and they’d have a point. And we know that we need to know and love Him to get to heaven. We all share that hope – to get to heaven. In today’s readings, Jesus charts a course for us to do just that. But that course or path requires love, not just knowledge, and that begins with the Holy Spirit. Let’s take a look.

So, none of us would want to admit that maybe our love for Jesus is incomplete or could use some work, right? But as noted in the Gospel, that love is really important. He said, “And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will reveal myself to him.” There it is, what He is specifically asking of us.

Listen, I am in the same boat as you may be in. Two years ago, I finally admitted to God that my love for Him had to move from my head to my heart. I had great knowledge of Him via scripture and studying, but my love was less powerful, less tangible, and that needed to change. And what has helped me change all that is highlighted in the readings today. It starts with the Holy Spirit. 

I needed the Holy Spirit’s help. Like you I received the Holy Spirit at my Baptism and Confirmation, but I found He had more to offer, much more. I began to pray to the Holy Spirit and pray for the Holy Spirit to come more deeply into my heart. In Ezekiel, God said, “I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit in you” and that’s what I wanted. The Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of Truth” as Jesus calls Him not only strengthens our faith but brings us wisdom and understanding. That is what I was after, because to love someone we need to really understand them. Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of Truth.”  He promises us the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit remains in us, teaches us, makes us more acceptable to the Father by building up our virtues. With these stronger virtues, we are more resilient against temptation and sin, in essence, the Holy Spirit helps us keep God’s commandments. And in the Gospel today, Jesus talks twice about keeping “my commandments.” He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” And later He said, “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.” There it is, plain and simple. Twice. And Jesus is talking about His commandments to love one another and Him. 

So, let’s review. We all have knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, and we all want to migrate our feelings for Him from our head to our heart. We want that promised new heart that Ezekiel mentions. To do that, Jesus urges us to embrace the Holy Spirit in prayer, and to follow His commandments. If we do that, He says, “And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” 

That’s the key point, the payoff for loving Him with all our hearts. If we love Him, He will reveal Himself to us in even greater ways. Earlier we agreed that to truly love someone deeply, we need to understand them deeply, and that happens when they reveal more and more of themselves to us. And, by the way, it is a two-way street, we also need to reveal our innermost pain, longing, hopes, and hurts likewise to Him! Even to the point of telling Him that we want to love Him more and need His help to do that. He’d like that!

That’s how we next level our love, next level our understanding and next level our heart. That’s what a life with Christ and a life in Christ looks like. That is His plan for our lives, His plan for a happy life, one that the world cannot provide. Sign me up for that plan!