“And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know-ow we are Christians by our love.” The well-known song, written in the 1960’s by Fr. Peter Scholtes, echoes today’s Gospel. Sixty years later and two thousand years into Christianity, the song might seem trite or timid. Sweet images of walking side-by-side, and hand-in hand; that’s nice. In truth, though, it is so much more. It is, like today’s Gospel, the call for a revolution.
Christ encourages his disciples to a revolutionary love, one unheard of in their time — a love that gives expecting nothing in return, a love that is neither earned nor deserved. Love those who hate you. Love those who hurt you. Forgive the unforgivable and have mercy on the merciless.
There is nothing trite in this love. It is so unexpected, so counter-cultural, so revolutionary that it sets us apart. It is a generous, self-sacrificing, humbling love that makes the world wonder, “What is up with that?”
There is nothing timid in this love. It is bold, strong, and steadfast. This love calls for the courage to stand in the wake of hate, cruelty, and injustice. This love calls for the fortitude to speak God’s truth even when it’s unpopular. No, not to judge or condemn, but to challenge and correct.
If I have run a wooded path and know that it opens to a cliff, what am I to say to another who is running headlong and full speed through the thicket? Does this powerful love step back and say, “Hey, you be you, friend. Who am I to judge?” Or does this steadfast love look the runner in the eye and urge him, “Hey, that path is dangerous. There’s another way we can travel together.” Of course it is the latter. What that runner does next and how he finishes is not mine to decide — that is between him and God — but the love of today’s Gospel begs me to speak up in mercy.
This kind of love is downright supernatural; we are not capable of it on our own. Only with the strength of grace, only through Christ can we love like this, and when we do, He shines through. This love should set us apart so the troubled world might notice and long to know more.
Indeed, by the grace of God, they will know we are Christians by our love — by our humble, self-sacrificing, unexpected, bold, steadfast, merciful, revolutionary love.
“Y sabrán que somos cristianos por nuestro amor, por nuestro amor. Sí, sabrán que somos cristianos por nuestro amor” (traducción del canto They’ll Know We are Christians). La conocida canción, escrita en los años 60 por el Padre Peter Scholtes, hace eco del Evangelio de hoy. Sesenta años después y dos mil años después del inicio del cristianismo, la canción puede parecer trillada o tímida. Las dulces imágenes de caminar uno al lado del otro y agarrados de la mano son muy agradables pero en verdad, es mucho más. Es, como el Evangelio de hoy, el llamado a una revolución.
Cristo anima a sus discípulos a un amor revolucionario, un amor inaudito en su tiempo, un amor que se entrega sin esperar nada a cambio, un amor que no se gana ni se merece. Ama a quienes te odian. Ama a quienes te hieren. Perdona lo imperdonable y ten piedad de los despiadados.
No hay nada trivial en este amor. Es tan inesperado, tan contracultural, tan revolucionario que nos distingue. Es un amor generoso, abnegado y humilde que hace que el mundo se pregunte: “¿Qué está pasando aquí?”
No hay nada de tímido en este amor. Es audaz, fuerte y firme. Este amor exige el valor de oponerse al odio, la crueldad y la injusticia. Este amor exige la fortaleza para decir la verdad de Dios incluso cuando no es popular. No para juzgar ni condenar, sino para desafiar y corregir.
Si he corrido por un sendero en el bosque y sé que se abre a un precipicio, ¿qué debo decirle a otro que está corriendo a toda velocidad por los arbustos? ¿Este amor poderoso da un paso atrás y dice: “Oye, sé tú mismo, amigo. ¿Quién soy yo para juzgar?” O este amor firme mira al corredor a los ojos y lo advierte: “Oye, ese camino es peligroso. Hay otra forma en que podemos avanzar juntos”. Por supuesto la respuesta es la segunda. Lo que ese corredor haga a continuación y cómo termine ya no es algo que yo decida, queda entre él y Dios, pero el amor del Evangelio de hoy me pide que hable con misericordia.
Este tipo de amor es absolutamente sobrenatural; no somos capaces de amarlo por nosotros mismos. Solo con la fuerza de la gracia, solo a través de Cristo podemos amar así, y cuando lo hacemos, Él brilla a través de nosotros. Este amor debería distinguirnos para que el mundo atribulado lo note y desee saber más.
De hecho, por la gracia de Dios, sabrán que somos cristianos por nuestro amor – por nuestro amor humilde, abnegado, inesperado, audaz, firme, misericordioso y revolucionario.
Pamela Kavanaugh is a grateful wife, mother, and grandmother who has dedicated her professional life to Catholic education. Though she has done her very best to teach her students well in the subjects of language and religion, she knows that she has learned more than she has taught. She lives, teaches, and writes in southwest suburban Chicago.
Feature Image Credit: Priscilla Du Preez CA, unsplash.com/photos/person-in-black-long-sleeve-shirt-holding-babys-feet-aPa843frIzI
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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