I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another.  Could it really be that simple?  If we want the world, so very much in need of peace and meaning that only God can give, if we want the world to know the love of Christ as we do: could it really be that simple: Love one another.  Could it be so simple a concept, but so hard a task to actually do? 

There’s a beautiful story about St. John the Evangelist, the one who left us these powerful words.  He was the only one of the apostles to live to old age, and many of the early bishops and fathers and theologians of the Church knew him, and they left us records of his preaching and teaching, his influence in the early Church.  There’s a particularly moving scene that several of the fathers record.  When St. John had grown weak with very advanced age, living in Ephesus around the year 100, understandably he was a central, almost mystical figure in the Church: the one original apostle still alive on earth; 7 decades later.  He was a very young man then, and a very old man now.  A direct and intimate connection to the Lord himself.  And so people would come to see him, to hear him talk about the Lord, to ask him questions, just to be in his presence.  Eventually, because of the weakness of age he became unable to preach or write or give long discourses as he had done before for so many years.  Instead, his own disciples and assistants would carry him into the assembly of the faithful, and the people there would wait anxiously, straining to hear his quiet voice: and every time he would only say the words, “My dear children, love one another.”  Thirsting to hear more, wanting to draw out the incredible first-hand experiences of Our Lord’s best friend while he was still here on earth, the people would beg him, “Tell us more about the Lord.  What was he like?  What did he want us to know?”  And St. John would only say again, “Love one another.”  One of these times the people in the crowd got impatient and started stirring and complaining: can’t you say something else? Why do you always just said the same thing over and over?”  And St. John is reported to have looked up and said, “Because it is the law of the Lord, and if you do it, you have done enough.” 

It is really that simple.  It is really that hard.  Everyone knows that love is easy…about 2% of the time.  The other 98%, it’s hard, really hard, it takes work, it takes sacrifice, it takes persistence and selflessness.  Because love is not just nice feelings, not just happy experiences, not just shared values.  Love is wanting the very best for the ones we love, and working for it, no matter the cost to us.  Doing whatever it takes, so that those we love can have life, and live that life to the full.  Whatever it takes.  Love one another.  Father, tell us more.  What more can we do to be good Christians, to be good Catholics?  My dear children, love one another.