Laying down for love

 

What does it mean for me today to love one another and do as Jesus did, i.e., lay down His life for His friends (John 15: 12-14)?

The Gospel reading from John is a beautiful but a difficult one.  Jesus asks us to be prepared to lay down our lives for our friends.  I have to confess that I don’t have many friends for whom in my heart of hearts I’d throw myself into the path of certain death for them.   My children, grandchildren, or my wife?  Absolutely.  Friends?  That’s a lot harder.

Of course, Jesus did exactly that for His friends.  But me, I’m afraid that I’d be more like Peter on that fateful Thursday night denying that I knew Jesus because I’d be too chicken to admit it and risk my life (John 18:15-27).  I suppose this is one of the reasons I’ve often identified with Peter.  He seems so human.  He chickens out, he says the wrong thing (such as his suggestion that they build three tents after witnessing the Transfiguration) (Matthew 17:1-8) and his faith wavers (as it did when he tried to walk on water) (Matthew 14:22-33).

But Jesus chose him as the rock on which the Church was built (Matthew 16:17-19).  So why choose Peter?  I think it’s because Jesus knows we can’t be Him, but we can be Peter.  We can be Peter putting our foot in our mouth, lacking courage and losing faith — but never giving up.  We can all be rocks of faith and justice, even with our many human imperfections.

As I reflect on this, I think that maybe what I’m living for today is also what I’m dying for today.

Maybe it means I can listen intently to that person who just seems to go on and on and on and on, insisting that what they have to say demands more time than the rest of those gathered to discuss an idea or issue.

Maybe it means giving up a “personal freedom” and wearing a face mask whether or not I believe it’s necessary, instead of ridiculing or demeaning someone else who believes the opposite.  It just may save someone’s life.

Maybe it means I have to read some goofy reflection like this one, just because I get to be part of a community that is much bigger than my narrow view of “the saved” or “the righteous”.

Thank You, Jesus, for all these reminders to love; especially those individuals who initially give rise to resentments in me, but more often than not offer just what I need today.