The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine the limits that we put on the extent of our love for others.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles recalls the Council’s letter to Gentile believers.
* [15:13–35] Some scholars think that this apostolic decree suggested by James, the immediate leader of the Jerusalem community, derives from another historical occasion than the meeting in question. This seems to be the case if the meeting is the same as the one related in Gal 2:1–10. According to that account, nothing was imposed upon Gentile Christians in respect to Mosaic law; whereas the decree instructs Gentile Christians of mixed communities to abstain from meats sacrificed to idols and from blood-meats, and to avoid marriage within forbidden degrees of consanguinity and affinity (Lv 18), all of which practices were especially abhorrent to Jews. Luke seems to have telescoped two originally independent incidents here: the first a Jerusalem “Council” that dealt with the question of circumcision, and the second a Jerusalem decree dealing mainly with Gentile observance of dietary laws (see Acts 21:25 where Paul seems to be learning of the decree for the first time). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)
Psalm 57 offers praise and assurance under persecution.
* [Psalm 57] Each of the two equal strophes contains a prayer for rescue from enemies, accompanied by joyful trust in God (Ps 57:2–5, 7–11). The refrain prays that God be manifested as saving (Ps 57:6, 12). Ps 108 is nearly identical to part of this Psalm (cf. Ps 57:8–11, Ps 108:2–6). (Psalms, PSALM 57, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares “No one has greater love than this.”
* [15:1–17] Like Jn 10:1–5, this passage resembles a parable. Israel is spoken of as a vineyard at Is 5:1–7; Mt 21:33–46 and as a vine at Ps 80:9–17; Jer 2:21; Ez 15:2; 17:5–10; 19:10; Hos 10:1. The identification of the vine as the Son of Man in Ps 80:15 and Wisdom’s description of herself as a vine in Sir 24:17 are further background for portrayal of Jesus by this figure. There may be secondary eucharistic symbolism here; cf. Mk 14:25, “the fruit of the vine.” (John, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)
Carol Zuegner comments that it seems a bit simpler to live out the other commandments. We can check them off without even thinking about it. This commandment, to love one another as Jesus loved us, is harder.
What can I do? How can I love the person who is making my life difficult at work? How can I find time to help someone else when I am already so busy? How can people ask more of me? Think about when Jesus was tired and hungry and overwhelmed. He still responded to the spiritual and human needs of those around him. I can love my neighbors and friends and co-workers and family and strangers in so many ways. I can lay down my life – pausing in my busyness – to be there for others. I can be present when a friend wants to talk and I have a long to-do list. I can find time to reach out to the exhausted mom. I can do my part, even if small, to work for peace and social justice. I can spend time in prayer for those who need it. I can forgive those whom I think have harmed me. As St. Ignatius tells us, we can find God in all things. (Zuegner, 2022)
Don Schwager quotes “Love encompasses the other commandments,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).
"This is my commandment." Have you then only one precept? This is sufficient, even if it is unique and so great. Nevertheless he also said, "Do not kill" (Matthew 19:18) because the one who loves does not kill. He said, "Do not steal," because the one who loves does even more-he gives. He said, "Do not lie," for the one who loves speaks the truth, against falsehood. "I give you a new commandment" (John 13:14). If you have not understood what "This is my commandment" means, let the apostle be summoned as interpreter and say, "The goal of his commandment is love" (1 Timothy 1:5). What is its binding force? It is that of which [the Lord] spoke, "Whatever you want others to do to you, you should do also" (Matthew 7:12)."Love one another" in accordance with this measure, "as I have loved you." That is not possible, for you are our Lord who loves your servants. But we who are equals, how can we love one another as you have loved us? Nevertheless, he has said it... His love is that he has called us his friends. If we were to give our life for you, would our love be equal to yours?... How then can what he said be explained, "As I have loved you"? "Let us die for each other," he said. As for us, we do not even want to live for one another! "If I, who am your Lord and God, die for you, how much more should you die for one another." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 19.13) (I Have Called You Friends, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 15:12-17 comments that if we can sense what’s on Jesus’ heart—what he wants to see done in the world—then we can cooperate with him in accomplishing it. And if we need certain gifts to do that, we can ask his Holy Spirit to give them to us.
This is what friendship with God is like: his heart and your heart united in love, with a shared concern and burden for others. If you ask him for the gifts you need to better accomplish his work, he will not disappoint you. So come to him with openness and expectant faith. Believe that Jesus, your Friend, will hear you and respond. “Jesus, thank you for calling me your friend. Holy Spirit, give me all the gifts I need to do your work in the world.” (Meditation on John 15:12-17, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the rules for Gentiles as presented by Peter and James in Acts and Paul in Galatians. A compromise was reached for the Gentiles at the Council of Jerusalem. Friar Jude reminds us of the vertical and horizontal dimensions of our faith as Jesus demonstrates for us.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments on how God is encountered not through words but through humble “not knowing”. He points out that there are two different kinds of certitude: mouthy and mystical.
We have to balance mouthy certitude with “mystical certitude.” Mystical certitude is utterly authoritative, but it’s humble. It isn’t unkind. It doesn’t need to push its agenda. It doesn’t need to compel anyone to join a club, a political party, or even a religion. It’s a calm, collected presence, which Jesus seems to possess entirely. As Jesuit Greg Boyle writes, “There is no place in the gospel where Jesus is defensive. In fact, he says, ‘Do not worry what your defense will be’ [Luke 12:11]. Jesus had no interest in winning the argument, only in making the argument.” [1] Those who know always know that they don’t know. That’s the character of the mystic. The very word “mystical” comes from the Sanskrit “mū,” which was associated with being tongue-tied or hushed to silence. This Indo-European root shaped the words “mystery,” “mystic,” “mute,” “mumble,” and others. It’s when we come before what the scholar Rudolph Otto (1869–1937) called the “mysterium tremendum” [2]—the tremendous mystery of God—and we can’t find the words. All we can do is mutter, because we know whatever just happened is beyond words, beyond proving, and beyond any kind of rational certitude. Our present notion of God is never it, because if we comprehend it, it is not God. If you happen to have the charismatic gift of speaking in tongues, it is a physiological experience of the ineffability of true spiritual experience. Maybe we all need to pray in tongues! (Mystical Certitude — Center for Action and Contemplation, 2022)
We are missing the prompts of the Spirit when we reduce our spiritual experience to what we comfortably understand and define Jesus' call to love in our own terms.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/15?22
I Have Called You Friends. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=may20
John, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/15?12
Meditation on John 15:12-17. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/05/20/384943/
Mystical Certitude — Center for Action and Contemplation. (2022, May 20). Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/mystical-certitude-2022-05-20/
Psalms, PSALM 57. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/57?8
Zuegner, C. (2022, May 19). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052022.html
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