Love Them Like I Love You

5th Sunday of Easter 2025

I read somewhere recently that being a friend to someone means knowing what they love, and they know what you love. I’m not sure that is a full example of friendship in all its forms but I do believe it is a good start.

My friends, if asked, can tell you what I love, I think.

I thought about that simple statement for awhile and about all my acquaintances and friends and family. It seems to work.

Long time friends know what you love at your core. What you loved as a child perhaps. Those are deep friendships who still know you as an adult and what you love now.

And of course when talking about relationships and what it should look like as a Christian I had to ask what does that mean for my relationship with Jesus Christ. What does that mean for my friendship with Jesus.

We should be friends with Jesus right?

So I know he knows what I love, whether I have told him or not, but I think really what matters to Jesus is what we have shared with him. This is why prayers are so important and do matter. He wants us to talk to him and form that relationship. How often? How often should we want to talk to who should be our closest friend forever? Everyday and throughout the day if possible. Probably.

I think the friendship model can be expanded to include knowing what we do not love so much. What brings us sorrow in our life. I think that is closer to what a friendship is. And I have to admit many of those who I called friends don’t really know  what brings me sorrow. We don’t advertise that as easily as we do what we love. But Jesus wants to know. He wants us to bring our sorrows, and loves, to him.

Jesus tells us today to love each other as he loved. We know how much he loved. He died for us. He suffered for us. That is the love of Christ. It is not a feeling. It is an unconditional commitment to the welfare and what is best for others – even at our expense or even when we had to sacrifice our own needs.

If we call Jesus a friend, then we need to not only know what he loves, which is the Father and us, but what we love should be the same as what he loves. And what we do each day and say each day and bring to others each day, should be what he loves. Our love, our everything, should be what Jesus loves. That is the key difference between our relationship with Jesus and others.

For we are called to be like Jesus and Jesus commands us to love others.

So the assignment today, is to ask ourselves “do we love what Jesus loves?”

True love, unconditional wanting what is best for another no  matter how much we might dislike or disapprove of them?

Jesus didn’t ask us to be friends with others. He didn’t say you must like others. But he did say we must love others like he did.

I know that is a tall order.  Loving those who we like or are related to can be tough enough at times.

But loving someone we don’t like very much, with unconditional love seems impossible for us. It is impossible for us sinners. We cannot do it without Christ in the middle.

And we will fail. We will at times lash out instead and fail to render aid or kindness.

But we must rise up, and try again and again, all our life to show others the love Jesus gave to us and showed us when he gave everything, so you and I would have a home in heaven.

Paul in our first reading was driven to love all this way. He gave up everything. He was grateful for being part of the family of Christ and understood the need to love as Jesus loved. He struggled and failed often. But he kept getting up and moving forward.

As we get closer to the end of Easter we need to remember who we are and what we have been missioned and commanded to do.

When I left home to go to Navy bootcamp, decades ago, my mother told me one thing. She said “remember who you are.” And so even today when I struggle I strive to remember who I am.  As her son, as a son of God and as a follower of Jesus Christ.

We need to remember who we are. We are sons and daughters of the Father in heaven and brother to Jesus who wanted us to be with him so much he came down to be with us and suffered and died for us.

Jesus is giving them parting words in our Gospel today. Words well thought out and carefully chosen.

Love others as I have loved you. And all will know you are my disciples if you love one another.

We must remember who we are, and that our mission has always been to show others what fantastic love Jesus is offering to all mankind. Our world is more divisive than ever and it is easy to separate who we love over here and those people we don’t agree with over there.

Its easy to say we don’t like them, or disapprove of their actions

Its easy to not help those we see in need.

Its easy to come here and worship and feel the love Jesus has for us and then go about our day without remembering who we are.

But Jesus says love them like I love you.