Readings: Acts 14:21-27; Psalm 145:8-13a; Apoc 21:1-5; John 13:31-33,34-35
Theme: GIVING THAT WHICH I MYSELF RECEIVE!!!
- The Newness of the Commandment
In today’s gospel, Jesus gave his disciples a commandment to love and called it a ‘new commandment’ (Εντολὴν καινὴν). But te question is “What is new about this commandment?” Right from the time of the Old Testament, there has been this commandment to love. For instance, in Lev 19:18, God commanded the people of Israel saying, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.” So if this law was already in existence before why did Jesus speak of the same law of love as ‘new’?
The Greek word used by evangelist John to speak of ‘new’ is καινὴν (kaine) which is a feminine form of the adjective καινός (masculine singular). The adjective “καινός” can mean:
a. ‘new’ in the sense of something that is later based on temporary comparison (cf Matt 9:17; Mk 2:21) or in the sense of something that is unused (cf John 19:41).
b. ‘new’ in the sense of something that is not previously present but now is being introduced (cf Mk 1:27; John 13:34).
c. ‘new’ in contrast to that which used to exist. In this sense, “that which used to exist (the old) has become obsolete, and should be replaced by what is new, making the new thing superior in kind to the old.” (cf Matt 26:28; Heb 8:8).
In speaking of ‘new commandment’ in today’s gospel, Jesus is not introducing a law that was not in existence (since we find the same commandment in Lev 19:18) nor was he introducing a law that was not in use nor was he replacing the old law of love. So what makes the law of love given by Jesus ‘a new commandment’?
To answer this, we have to look closely at the commandment to love as contained in Old Testament (Lev 19:18) and that which Jesus gives today (John 13:34). Lev 19:18 – You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord. John 13:34 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I
have loved you, that you also love one another. (Jn. 13:34 NAS)
The law of love in Lev 19:18 comes with a manner ( ךָוֹ ֑מָּכ kamoka- just like/as yourself) which answers the question ‘how’. Hence, it not only commands one to love one’s neighbor but specifies also how that should be (love your neighbor just like/as yourself). The law of love in John 13:34 comes also with a manner (καθὼς kathos – just as) which answers the question ‘how’. But instead of loving others the way we love ourselves, Christ introduces something new which is “loving others as he himself loves us.”
But outside this, the καθὼς (just as) of John 13:34 also answers the question “why” thereby making the love of Christ for us the reason or the cause for our loving others. Hence, if one should ask, “why should I love others?” Christ answers the person “because I love you”. Hence, we love others because we ourselves are loved by Christ, and we love others in the manner of Christ’s own love for us.
- The ‘newness’ consists in the ‘just as I have loved you”
From above, we can see that ‘a new commandment’ which Jesus speaks of is not so much about the action of loving others but the manner and the reason to love. Jesus introduces his own love for us as a reason, as a motivation, as a guiding principle in our loving others.
- How does Jesus love us?
The kind of love which Jesus has for each one of us and which he wants us to learn from him and extend to others is neither egoistic nor filial love but agape love. In the entire verse 34 of today’s gospel which contains the new commandment, the word ‘love’ occurs three times, and for three times, the Greek verb ἀγαπάω (agapao) is used. The verb ἀγαπάω is used to express an unconditional, selfless, godly love.
Christ reminds us that the love he has for us is an unconditional love. Even when we do not merit his love, he still loves us and does good to us. This is the same way Jesus wants us to love others: UNCONDITIONALLY.
- The kind of love that makes the difference (Jn 13:35)
When we love like Jesus, we become like Jesus. Jesus really wants people to know that we are his disciples, hence he said to his disciples, “by this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples”. Our identity as disciples (μαθηταί mathetai) is drawn from nothing else but how we love. The Greek word which is translated as ‘disciples’ is derived from the word μανθάνω which means “to learn something” “to gain knowledge or skin”.
Hence a disciple, μαθητής – mathetes, is one who learns from his/her master. By calling us his μαθηταί mathetai (disciples), Jesus wants us to be people who learn from him. And today, the only thing he wants us to learn is how to love.
He does not want us to love as the world loves or according to the measure and the manner of the worldly love. He does not even want us to focus on ourselves while loving others. This is because all these are imperfect and selfish. He wants us to reflect on his love for us and allow that reflection toguide us in loving others.
In the second reading, St. John speaks to us about new heaven and new earth, which call to an end the first heaven and the first earth. We are the ones whom Christ has sent to bring people into this new heaven and new earth, that is, into this new way of living as God’s children.
In the first reading, having realised this unconditional love of God for humanity which is concrete in Christ Jesus, Paul and Barnabas relentlessly kept moving from one town to another, from one local church to another, bringing the message of love of God to the people who had not yet received it, and making it strong in the places where it was already existing.
When we love as Christ loves us, and bring people to do the same, the vision of John whereby God lives among men, will be fulfilled because when we love as Christ who is God loves us, then he will be glorified in us and he will live in our midst.
Fr. Henry Nnamah
Catholic Diocese of Aguleri