Jesus said to his disciples:”If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jn 14:15-21
6th Easter Sunday
Mahatma Gandhi believed in Jesus Christ’s teachings. But he would never become one of the Christians because not all Christians practice Jesus Christ’s teachings. And what is Christ’s teaching? It is love.
In today’s gospel Jesus bade His disciples goodbye for He was about to return to His Father in heaven. He told them to keep His commandments if they really love Him. At that time He gave them a new commandment which was to love one another as He has loved them.
It is not the first time Jesus spoke of the command to love. When He was asked which is the greatest of all commandments, He gave them two: love for God and love of neighbor – which were actually one. He added that by this people would know that they are His disciples through love for each other.
Lumen Gentium 16 teaches that all belong people to the Catholic Church as long as they do good. Those who do not belong are only those who do bad things – simply put those who do not love. Thus atheists who love others and do good to them would also be saved in the end.
St. Peter in the second reading says the same thing when he wrote that Christians must do good all the time. “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.” He even added that Christians must do good for the sole purpose of love. “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.” 1 Pt 3:15-18
Going back to Mahatma Gandhi’s challenge, ask yourself if you have been loving to people especially to those who need most of your love simply because they have been unkind to you.
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