Love's Command

Jesus said to his disciples, "I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
"If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world-- therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, `Servants are not greater than their master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, `They hated me without a cause.'
"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning." John 15:17-27

Love's Command

To love one another we must together
live simply and humbly sharing
the blessings we have been given
with the world around us.

Truly to love another we must
recognize that hate surrounds us
cruelty that ache for desire to be fulfilled
jealousy which cannot stand losing control.

To love means to give oneself away
authentic and grounded, happy with presence
love infuriates the anxious and greedy
returns love to the violent and destructive.

We are bound by love's command
although we ache for retribution
we can live at the bottom and bear
the weight and persecution of the crushers.

Love will make light shine in darkness
setting free the long time prisoners
bring sight to the blind and food to the hungry
binding us all together in love's command.