Nothing will make you happier
Jn 15:9-17. Jesus said to his disciples: I have told you these things so that my joy may fill you and that this joy may be perfect.
For this is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do everything I command you.
I no longer call you servants, because the servant does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you all that I have learned from the Father.
You did not choose me, but I chose you, and I ordained you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide; that my Father may give you whatever you ask in my name. This I command you, that you love one another.
Love needs constant support, development, and care so that it does not dissipate like smoke, end like a dream, fly away like a frightened bird, or wither like an unwatered plant.
It requires striking the words of the Bible like a chisel against the rock of the heart to crumble it, that is, to make it a broken heart. God's love is gained persistently every day by imprinting the teachings of Jesus into our own souls. It is a tedious carving of the heart, full of effort, struggle, palpable resistance of selfishness, and constant improvement of details.
This love exists to make man's joy complete. Jesus cares about human happiness, and according to Him, nothing makes us happier than caring about loving God.
If a person neglects to inscribe His teachings on the tablet of the heart - which is harder than stone - his interior remains insatiable and restless. The last, six hundred and thirteenth mitzvah (commandment) of the Old Covenant ordered the Jew to write a Torah scroll for himself, letter by letter, with his own hand.
In this way, the inspired words were not to be personally written down on parchment, but written into the human soul. Jesus wants even more from his disciples. He desires constant effort not only in meditating on His teaching, but above all, constant effort in lovingly knowing everything that He has revealed to them.
People in love often use poetry because they cannot find words to express their feelings in everyday terms. They quote Eliot or Rilke, because love needs a special language that not only moves feelings, but also pushes one to extraordinary feats.
Every human word seems like a poor packaging for expressing even simple love. What words are needed to express God's love for man or man for God?
Something more than poetry is needed here. That is why Jesus uses words such as commandment, command, order, teaching, praeceptum! Despite such strong words, this love has no element of control.
Many people complain about the indifference of someone they love. But not everyone needs the kind of love we offer. Often the love we give to someone is not love at all, but coercion or suspicious checking of the other person.
Jesus knew what kind of love the disciples needed and he gave them such love. He also knew with what kind of love they wanted to love and he encouraged them to do so.
Erich Fromm compared giving love to providing moisture to a plant. I show my love by providing the plant with the moisture it needs. I cannot assume that all plants need the same humidity, because I may damage or destroy many of them.
It is not enough to want well. You also need to get to know what your loved one expects.
Our ideas about love are not only deformed, but sometimes even harmful to others. If we don't get rid of our personal ideas about love, we may have a problem with people running away from us. If I don't know what kind of love God expects from me, I may also miss Him.
[media=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1jL29wLwoTY]
For this is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do everything I command you.
I no longer call you servants, because the servant does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you all that I have learned from the Father.
You did not choose me, but I chose you, and I ordained you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide; that my Father may give you whatever you ask in my name. This I command you, that you love one another.
Love needs constant support, development, and care so that it does not dissipate like smoke, end like a dream, fly away like a frightened bird, or wither like an unwatered plant.
It requires striking the words of the Bible like a chisel against the rock of the heart to crumble it, that is, to make it a broken heart. God's love is gained persistently every day by imprinting the teachings of Jesus into our own souls. It is a tedious carving of the heart, full of effort, struggle, palpable resistance of selfishness, and constant improvement of details.
This love exists to make man's joy complete. Jesus cares about human happiness, and according to Him, nothing makes us happier than caring about loving God.
If a person neglects to inscribe His teachings on the tablet of the heart - which is harder than stone - his interior remains insatiable and restless. The last, six hundred and thirteenth mitzvah (commandment) of the Old Covenant ordered the Jew to write a Torah scroll for himself, letter by letter, with his own hand.
In this way, the inspired words were not to be personally written down on parchment, but written into the human soul. Jesus wants even more from his disciples. He desires constant effort not only in meditating on His teaching, but above all, constant effort in lovingly knowing everything that He has revealed to them.
People in love often use poetry because they cannot find words to express their feelings in everyday terms. They quote Eliot or Rilke, because love needs a special language that not only moves feelings, but also pushes one to extraordinary feats.
Every human word seems like a poor packaging for expressing even simple love. What words are needed to express God's love for man or man for God?
Something more than poetry is needed here. That is why Jesus uses words such as commandment, command, order, teaching, praeceptum! Despite such strong words, this love has no element of control.
Many people complain about the indifference of someone they love. But not everyone needs the kind of love we offer. Often the love we give to someone is not love at all, but coercion or suspicious checking of the other person.
Jesus knew what kind of love the disciples needed and he gave them such love. He also knew with what kind of love they wanted to love and he encouraged them to do so.
Erich Fromm compared giving love to providing moisture to a plant. I show my love by providing the plant with the moisture it needs. I cannot assume that all plants need the same humidity, because I may damage or destroy many of them.
It is not enough to want well. You also need to get to know what your loved one expects.
Our ideas about love are not only deformed, but sometimes even harmful to others. If we don't get rid of our personal ideas about love, we may have a problem with people running away from us. If I don't know what kind of love God expects from me, I may also miss Him.
[media=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1jL29wLwoTY]
51-55, F
