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A Morning View Near the Patio

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  - John 13:34-25
These two verses were after the Passover meal was shared as well as Jesus washing the disciples feet. When Jesus shared this new commandment in this moment, it was not the first time Jesus had called loving one another or loving your neighbor a new commandment. In Matthew 22 Jesus told the religious leaders the greatest commandment was to love God and the second was like it, to love your neighbor as you love yourself! So why then would Jesus specifically tell the disciples this was a new commandment?
Jesus whole ministry was a ministry of love. Yes, there were challenges to grow, yes he held "sinners" accountable to their sin. Yes he fulfilled the law. His life was lived offering grace and redemption through belief and repentance. The 12 lived it, saw it, heard it and experienced the love of Jesus Christ. So why, just before walking to the hill carrying the cross to his death, would Jesus Christ tell those closest to him who should get it the most, that they need to love one another?
Well, I am going to state the obvious! They must not have grasped the concept. They apparently were not living the love Jesus has told them about and lived. Perhaps, they just did not get it.
Earlier in chapter 13 Jesus washed the feet of the disciples in the greatest example of love. Peter, especially, did not get it. Jesus was literally living love by being a servant and loving the disciples by washing their feet. Jesus was modeling the attitude of how the disciples should treat one another. Jesus washed Judas's feet knowing he was going to betray him. Jesus loved him to death, his own. It is easy to read the scripture and wonder why they did not get it!
Well, my friends, why then, in 2020, do we not get it? We live in a world of conflict. We seem to love those who think like us and agree with us. We seem to despise those on the "other" side. We take a stance and if someone disagrees we shun them and write them off. We are especially polarized in politics and religion. I better understand division and "hate" in politics. But religion, hmmm....  I observe and hear absolute division because of belief differences. The religious at both extremes are at a my way or highway extreme. There are vial, hurting and destructive comments and actions toward one another. Not that people need to completely agree with the other, but how about loving one another as there is disagreement? Perhaps we need not be religious and become authentic disciples of Jesus Christ.
I'm guessing if Jesus were physically addressing the Church today, which is all who proclaim Jesus Christ, Jesus would tell us that there is a new commandment that he wants us to follow. That commandment would be to love one another. We have heard this commandment, studied how Jesus loved and understand Jesus love for us all the way to the cross. Much like the disciples, we just do not seem to get it! Love does not mean total agreement, Jesus loved Judas, Jesus loved Peter and Jesus loved all who he encountered all the way to the cross. I am sure he did not agree with them, but he loved them.
Jesus washed Judas's feet in love knowing..... Whose feet do you need to wash in love? Maybe you need to let someone else wash yours.
Peace,
PB

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