the e-Testament
John 13: 31-33; 34-35
When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God’s glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!
“Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me.
"But just as I told the Jews, I’m telling you: ‘Where I go, you are not able to come.’
“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”
Reflection
Here we see that through his death and resurrection Jesus has been glorified. But Jesus reminds us that God is also glorified in the same way.
The cyclical glorification reminds us of the fact that Jesus and God are one and therefore both glorified through the act of death and resurrection.
Jesus then tells the disciples that he must leave them soon and that they cannot return with him. Although for their remaining time on Earth he gives them a new commandment.
This commandment is the most important of them all one that we should endeavour to follow in our lives. To love everyone as Jesus loves seems like a hard thing to accomplish but part of our faith is the willingness to constantly strive to love everyone around us.
Through this act, Jesus tells us, we will be recognised as disciples of him.
Emily Kenyon
Youth Worker
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your sacrifice to die on a cross.
Please help us to remember that we should strive to love one another just as you did and help us when this gets hard.
Amen.