Jesus gives his friends a new commandment
(From the Gospel of John, chapter 13, verses 31-35)
The last time that Jesus ate supper with his friends, he knew that soon he would be separated from them. He loved his friends very much and he knew how much they loved him. He knew that they would miss him after he died.
Jesus also loved God very, very much. He felt so close to God that it was like he and God were all mixed together. He knew that after he died, his close connection with God would go on. In fact, it would go on forever!
Sitting at the supper table Jesus looked at his friends. They looked back at him. Finally he said, "Little children - my dearest ones - I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, but you will not find me walking around any more."
"We know that, Jesus," one of his friends replied sadly.
Jesus continued, "Just because you can't see me any longer doesn't mean that I am no longer with you."
His friends looked confused. "What do you mean, Jesus?" one of them asked.
Jesus smiled and answered, "You know how much I love you. You know how good it feels to be loved by me."
"Yes, we do, Jesus. That's why we are so sad," one of them replied.
Jesus looked around the circle of friends again. "Listen carefully," he said. "I have a new rule for you to live by. I want you to love each other just like I have loved you for these last few years. If you do this, it will feel like I am still with you. I want the world to know that I am alive, even if people can't see me. I want everyone to understand that the right way to live is to love each other deeply and to always take care of one another."
Questions to think about:
I wonder who loves you very, very much. How do you know this?
I wonder who you love very, very much.
I wonder how you show your love for others.
I wonder if it is ever difficult to love someone. I wonder what you do when that happens.