10 years ago – July 27, 2006
The language of love is the primary language by which Jesus in John speaks of the life of the believing community. The one commandment – the only ethical injunction he gives us in John: love one another. And it is important that we hear this clearly: that the unity believers share lies in something beyond doctrinal agreement, beyond institutional relatedness (important though these things be). It lies in our experienced love of God in Christ, which keeps us together in spite of our differences and links us with disciples past, present and future. Mutual love is at the heart of John’s vision of the Christian life – the identifying characteristic of the community… . “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,”[he said], “if you have love for one another.” … Love … is not something we feel – it is something we do. Love seeks the well being of others and is expressed in concrete efforts on their behalf. … Love is something we do, redefined by Jesus’ own act of self-giving.
From the article, “Called to love” by Frances Taylor Gench
