If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love… John 15:10
The two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:37-40) call us to love God first above all else and to love our neighbor. Jesus is clear on how we are to love—laying down our lives for one another. Thankfully, few of us are faced with literally giving up our lives, but every day presents plenty of opportunities to practice humility.
It’s a struggle to lay down my pride, set aside my selfishness and swallow sarcastic retorts when someone has pushed me to the edge of my patience. The love of Jesus is forgiving, faithful and fully alive in the world through our love for one another. When we pray the Our Father, we ask God to forgive us as we forgive those who have offended us in some way. We love God above all else by loving one another.
Deborah A. Meister
Originally published May 11, 2023
