John 14: 21-26

The story is told that one day Mother Teresa and some of her Missionary Sisters of Charity were making the rounds through the street of Calcutta when they came across a man near death lying in the gutter. He was filthy, dressed in rags and full of sores while flies swarmed around and Mother Teresa immediately went up to him, spoke to him and embraced him. She began to attend to his sores on his body and about that time a passerby came along and became ill at the sight of the man and commented to Mother Teresa: “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars.” Mother responded immediately, “Neither do I.”

Obviously monetary gain was not what motivated this Saint of Calcutta. In her writings, Mother Teresa often quoted words of Jesus: “Jesus love one another such as My love has been for you, so must your love be for each other.”

Another time, Mother Teresa remarked that the greatest disease in the West is not tuberculosis, leprosy or even Aids, it is being unwanted, uncared for and unloved. In our contemporary secular society, is there any surprise at the statement in light of what is happening around us?

In his last words before his passion Jesus reminded his followers of his legacy He would give them. After washing their feet, he gave them a new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you.” This legacy of love that would challenge them to love one another as He has loved them, would mark them as Jesus’ disciples.

In the gospel today Jesus speaks about this love for his disciples and of his Father’s love. He prepares his disciples for his imminent departure to return to his Father by exhorting them to prove their love for him through their loyalty and obedience to His word. He said very clearly, “If a man loves me, He will keep my word, and my Father will love him and make our home with him.”

The question is, do we live by the Word of Jesus? Or do we live by the word of the world? Keeping the commandments and fulfilling them are manifestations of our love for Jesus.

If we want Jesus to live in our hearts, then we should be loving like he was. Because love is the manifestation of God’s presence.