commandment

Love One Another

/ JJS / 1 Comment

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Today’s readings:
Psalms 34; 147:1-11, Proverbs 8:22-30, 1 John 5:1-12, John 13:20-35

Though the Christmas season lasts through Epiphany (January 6), once the celebration of the Nativity is over, the lectionary readings don’t waste any time getting back to serious business. The day after Christmas we read about the first martyr, and today we read about the Last Supper and the betrayal of Judas. Do we long just a little for an emotional break, a few days to bask in the glory of Christ’s birth?

Except that’s the thing: there really is no break. No matter how strong our faith, life is a mixed bag.

Take the Last Supper, for example. Jesus knows Judas is about to betray him, and Judas knows it, too. But the Last Supper is also the origin of Communion, which unites us with Christians across time and place. And it also gives us these words from Christ:

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.

Think for a moment what it means that this was a new commandment. What had the disciples been doing during all the preceding years they’d been following Jesus? Were they surprised he felt the need to say it out loud to them? Perhaps it’s a lot harder to do – and comes a lot less naturally to us – than we think.

What a gift that commandment is though. When we practice it, that love is a constant, steadying presence in the ups and downs of life. When we practice it, that love helps us celebrate with each other, mourn with each other, and support each other through difficult times. More than agreeing with one another or liking one another, loving one another with the sacrificial love of Christ is a conscious choice. Our obedience to that commandment – or our disobedience – tells people whether we are truly disciples or merely parrots of the Word.

Life in Christ, at least in our present world, will always be a mixed bag. No matter our state, let us choose to love and be loved. Jesus said so.

Comfort: Christ’s love is constant.

Challenge: Listen to They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love.

Prayer: Merciful God, source of all love, teach me to love your children as Christ loves me. Amen.

Discussion: Are you able to love someone you don’t like?

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Our Neighbors, Our Selves

/ JJS / Leave a comment

loveyourneighbor

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 130; 148, Isaiah 65:17-25, 1 Tim. 5:(1-16) 17-22 (23-25), Mark 12:28–34

When the Jewish scribes asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment, he replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” He also volunteered the second most important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The scribes hadn’t asked him for the top two, so he probably felt strongly about how we love our neighbors. We should note that in this statement is an implicit assumption that we do indeed love ourselves. As Christians, we are not always comfortable expressing a healthy love of self.

When we proclaim “I love my neighbor!” most people approve that sentiment. If we proclaim just as boldly “I love myself!” we can expect considerably less enthusiasm. If God wants us to love our neighbors extravagantly, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, doesn’t logic say God wants us to love ourselves just as extravagantly? God loves us as much as he loves our neighbors. Should we do less?

Sadly, overt love of self is often dismissed as pride. We are allowed to celebrate the gifts and talents of others, but expected to be unnecessarily demure about our own. Why wouldn’t we celebrate the gifts and talents our Creator has bestowed upon us? We don’t want to boast or elevate ourselves above others, but neither do we want to engage in self-talk that tells us we are less worthy, less beautiful, or less loved in our creator’s eyes than is anyone else. Quite the opposite: if we are to love others as God commands, we must understand what it is to be loved.

Sometimes loving ourselves means being honest about our own shortcomings, but in a way that builds us up rather than tears us down. For instance, if we need to improve our health we don’t do it by telling ourselves how terrible we are, but by recognizing our bodies are divine gifts that deserve the proper care and maintenance. Loving ourselves means unashamedly appreciating the gifts we have, and doing our best to honor and tend them.

Comfort: God wants us to love ourselves, because God loves us.

Challenge: Make a list of qualities you like about yourself.

Prayer: God of Strength, thank you for all my gifts. Amen.

Discussion: Are you able to accept compliments with grace?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group , visit comfortandchallenge.tumblr.com, or follow @comf_and_chall on Twitter. You’ll  have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!