Reading I: Acts 14:21-27
Reading II: Revelation 21:1-5a
GOSPEL: John 13:31-33a, 34-35
How Do You Show Love?
There is a song I recall from my youth and the chorus goes something like this:
“They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”
Whenever I think of this song it brings to mind hippies – peace signs and long hair – sitting around a bonfire, strumming a guitar and singing “Kumbaya.” Yet in this Sunday’s gospel, we hear Jesus saying that this is exactly the way that people will know who his disciples are. “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
Doesn’t the same hold true for us today?
More Than Words
I used to work with a person who was very active at Church, as well as in the community. She believed she had been “saved” and would talk at length about being Christian, if you asked her about it (or if she could find a way to bring it up). Unfortunately, her words were completely overshadowed by the negativity of her actions.
You see, this person tended to act in a decidedly un-Christian manner at work. She was curt to the people we serviced within our company. She was condescending and rude to the people who supplied our company with goods and services. And she was domineering and threatening to the people who reported to her.
It doesn’t matter what she said about being a Christian, nor what she did on her personal time. Her actions towards those she worked with spoke far louder than any words ever could, and they overshadowed the Church and community activities she did on her own time. If anything, the disparity between her work life and home life smacked of hypocrisy.
Love In Action
Even the non-religious folks I worked with believed that a person can’t be a part-time Christian. Nor can we be Christians in word alone. Jesus commanded us to love one another – and that means we have to act! Love is not simply about what we say; it’s about what we do. But love is not simply about what we do outside the workplace; it’s about how we live our lives all the time!
Spend some time thinking about the words of Jesus: “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Then reflect upon this: How do you show love for others?
Life Applications:
How do you act differently inside and outside the Church environment?
What are three simple actions you can take to show someone you love them?
What has someone done for you to show that they love you?
Check out the REAL Word Podcast for the 5th Sunday of Easter (Cycle C):
Original article by Brandon Jubar, 2004-2022.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.