John 13:31-35
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
“As I have loved you!"
St. John has already introduced the doctrinal teaching about Jesus’ body as food and Jesus‘ blood as drink, and that it’s related to entering the Kingdom of heaven in chapter 6 at Capernaum (John 6:53-59).
In Jerusalem at the Last Supper, Jesus the Lord, by the washing of His disciples’ feet, is practicing the role of a servant—even more, a slave.
He wants them to see Him as the Model of Love and Service. This is why, just before giving them His New Command, which comes with the New and Everlasting Covenant, He kneels in their presence and washes their feet.
Then a New Command is given out of a concrete model of love, to become the root that gives the best fruit.
A Command? Yes indeed, His has authority to give commands. This time He is not giving a parable, or an orientation, or a suggestion, or a proposal, but a command!
If we are His disciples, we accept His authority and His command.
If we love Him, we imitate Him, knowing that love and imitation of the Beloved are not separate.
This why and how Jesus’ Way, or Jesus the Way, remains both the Lord and the servant in one person. Based upon this Truth, we follow Him to enjoy sharing His Life.
Spend a few moments of meditation on this New Command. Reconsider our real response to this command in four fields—
Our reciprocation of God's love for us.
Our reconciliation with ourselves according to Jesus’ model.
Our relation with our neighbor in light of this new command.
Our respect and care for our environment that God offers us to protect and enjoy.
May we remember this command every morning and every evening in our daily meeting with the Lord through Scriptures.
May this New Command keep us renewed and worthy of being called Christians. He knows how weak we are, but “with God, nothing is impossible!"
Lord, help us to live this New Command!