Love and Unity

Gospel: John 15: 9-17

"Love one another as I have loved you."

The fundamental mark of the Christian is to love others as Jesus loved us.  How did Jesus love? He went about from place to place healing people of their infirmities, delivering them from the demons that torment them, and feeding people at table.  He refused no one who asked, excluded no one from table.  He cared for those no one would care for, ate with sinners and those who thought they were not sinners.  He died on the cross and forgave us of that offense, never seeking retribution or vengeance.  

In establishing a principle of unity it was not a creedal formula or oath that Jesus instituted.  It was the exhortation to love one another.  It is in love alone that we are united to him and to God, in love alone are we united to one another.  It is a demonic religion that seeks to unite people by hating other people and creating entire groups of people to demean.  Authentic religion is the religion of love alone that is our source of vitality and unity.  

Pope Leo XIV chose as his motto "In illo uno unum" - in the One we are one."  God is love, and in the love of the One who is God we are made one with one another.  And we only love God when we love one another; there is no other way to show love for God, for that is the way the Lord Jesus showed love for God in caring for us and extending mercy to all he encountered.