SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER B
COURTEOUS LOVER
JN 15: 9-17
MESSAGE
When we contemplate love, it is easy to recall self-love because many of us indeed require it; also, romantic love and love for friends, as people select their partners, and our friends typically share similarities with us in many respects. However, there are forms of love that are not easy on the ears. Family love may not always be pleasant to enact when there are troubles among relatives. Neighborly love can be profoundly challenging when confronted with difficult individuals. Today’s readings advocate for a complete, all-encompassing love. “Love one another…,” Jesus commands. The gospel mentions love nine times, and the letter to the Romans also does so nine times. This is a call to a non-selective, non-discriminatory, non-exclusive manner of loving. It is a directive to love even and specially, the challenging people – the unloving and unlovable around us. Indeed, this is not an easy task, especially for a struggling Christian.
Why does Jesus command us to love in this manner? In reading the mystic Julian of Norwich, she describes God’s love as the “Courteous Lover.” It may sound strange, but what is courteous love? It is a love that respects, that liberates, that deems others as worthy of love. God is the “Courteous Lover” who loves all of us without distinction and without preference, to the point of sacrifice. The Risen Christ has open arms that simply love, even the imperfect, especially the sinner. He is the Courteous Lover, the Courteous Lord.
REFLECT
This Easter season, reflect on your acts of love. In what ways do you succeed? In what ways do you also fail? In your prayer, consider Jesus as the Courteous Lover and pray for the grace to emulate him in loving with respect, freedom, and sacrifice.
