Love God, Love People, Do Something about it

There is a beautiful, yet challenging, line in the gospels this weekend.  “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." (John 13:34)

 These are beautiful words, and they are challenging words.  Yes?  In Sunday's Gospel we return to the Last Supper to hear Jesus’ new commandment to love one another. That is what he tells the disciples after he washes their feet.  Good stewards, as the recipients of God’s unending love, take this commandment seriously. Though we are reminded of his love throughout the year, it is Jesus’ actions and words during the feast of Passover that show us the extent of his love and the way we too can live a life of stewardship.  Jesus showed His love by washing the disciple’s feet, reconciling them, healing the sick, giving hope to the hopeless and ultimately dying on the cross for us.

“…love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.”  If we are to be his disciples we can do nothing less, in word and deed, than humbly offer ourselves in loving service to God and to another.  Good stewards who spend their time, talent, and treasure in service to others are well on their way to fulfilling this commandment.

So what is stewardship?  it is is an expression of our love for God and one another. It really is that simple. If thinking in formulas like “time, talent and treasure” seem confusing to you, keep it simple. Let your gifts flow freely and joyfully out of your gratitude to God. “Everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).”  Living this way will also draw us closer and closer to Jesus.


This exhibition of love is the mark of the followers of Christ. Throughout the Easter Season until Pentecost, the first reading on Sunday is from the Acts of the Apostles.   There we read that when Paul and Barnabas took this message of love to the Gentiles, a considerable number of them became followers. The apostles freely shared the message of salvation and so opened a door of faith that enabled believers to journey toward heaven.  I pray that your faith leads you to the New Jerusalem to live in heavenly joy with God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.