The New Commandment (John 13:31-35)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
“You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbour, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.”
As we can see from Leviticus, the command of Christ, to love one another is not new. What is new is how we are to love. We must love one another just as Christ has loved us. What a pattern on which to imitate!!
Today we begin June, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and we are preparing for the feast of Pentecost (next Sunday!) by living a special decenary of the Holy Spirit … ten days of intense prayer for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the bond of love of the Blessed Trinity, He is the sweet kiss of the Blessed Trinity, uniting the Father and the Son. He is that blessed kiss which royal divinity gave to humanity by means of the Son of God.
The Holy Spirit will only come to those who have great desire for His Person. If we however, criticize one another mercilessly, calumniate one another, slander one another, gossip about one another, back bite one another … how can the Holy Spirit come to us? He is the God of Love and He will read our hearts and will not believe we are sincere if we carry on this way.
Let our every effort, therefore, be this week, be for the mutual upbuilding of one another. Let no sharp words escape our lips and no forked tongue pierce our brother or sister. May the God of Love be so attracted by our kindness that He will be unable to resist coming to us on Pentecost. From the Holy Spirit flows the sweet honey of delights which are found only in God.
† Selim Sfeir
Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus