The New Commandment

(Short Meditation for September 13, 2020 Church Bulletin)

Paul’s Letter to the Romans in today’s scripture readings could remind us of the “New Commandment”. During their last meal together before his death, Jesus tells his disciples “I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” (Jn 13:34)

In the part of his letter to the Romans that we read today, Paul writes that we do not live for ourselves; “if we live, we live for the Lord”. How do we live for the Lord? We live for the Lord by following his new commandment and imitating the life of Jesus. We love others as the Lord has loved us. We forgive those who have wronged us, we help those less fortunate, we care for the sick and we pray for those who need our prayers.

Following the giving of his new commandment, Jesus states in the very next verse: “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Does our life reflect that discipleship?