New Commandment . . . Agape!

Fifth Sunday of Easter-Year C

April 28, 2013

First Reading: Acts 14: 21-27

Psalm: 145: 8-9, 10-11, 12-13

Second Reading: Revelation 21: 1-5a

Gospel Reading: John 13: 31-33a, 34-35

Jesus said in today’s gospel, “I give you a new commandment . . .” (Jn.3:34).  What do you think and feel about this gospel?  This is as if you have never heard and experienced before; as if this is something new and does not happen yet; and it will only happen in the near future.  Is there something new that men and women do not know since the first man and woman had eaten the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?  And even John, the Evangelist, was saying, “I saw new heaven and a new earth, and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more . . .” (Rev. 21:1).  He already saw a new heaven and a new earth.  So, what is new?  Can we say that we saw already all the things we need to see?  Then, why did Jesus say to his disciples and even to us that he will give us a new commandment?

Jesus continued and said: “Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (Jn. 13:34).  Why Jesus said this?  What makes Jesus’ love so different and unique from the others’ love?  “As I have loved you . . . so you also love one another.”  Is this love the same as, like for example, the love of man and woman to each other; the love of husband and wife, the love of father and mother to their children, etc., and your love to someone/somebody?  What does Jesus mean when he said, “Love one another.”?   Do we not truly loving one another?  Is our love for one another is showy love, not real, fake, plastic and not complete love?  Then what is this love Jesus was referring to?  And how can we show real and true love to one another, as Jesus is commanding us to do?

In truth and in reality, the traditional love we inherited and received from our ancestors, on the one hand, is the love we understood, and is called “eros” – an erotic love, carnal love, sexual love, worldly or earthly love which is also materialistic and selfish love, a self-centered love just to satisfy our animalistic instinct.  Therefore, it is individualistic love.  Jesus, on the other hand, is offering a new kind of love never before being thought and taught of, which is called “agape” – sharing, life-giving sacrifice, other-centered love, an easy to lay down one’s life for a friend’s love, a 180 degree love.  This love Jesus is giving to us as a new commandment is our model and example in loving one another, for the world does  not know.