Today’s Gospel reading from John occurs during the evening of the Last Supper. Just prior to this reading, Jesus has identified Judas as His betrayer. Judas, we are told, has just left the group of apostles to carry out the dreadful deed of betraying Christ and setting up His Crucifixion. But suddenly Jesus begins to speak of glorifying His Father and His Father glorifying him; but wait, this “glorification” He is talking about is His suffering and death. When we think of glory, we envision joy, beauty and triumph not suffering, death, darkness and failure. Jesus seems to be turning everything we know to be true upside down! Even the term “Good Friday” to describe the day Jesus was scourged then put to a terrible death seems a terrible paradox. The human mind then and even now struggles to understand this great mystery.

Jesus glorifies His Father through His total obedience. He prays, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will, but as you will.” (Matt. 26:39) The true essence of holiness is Jesus’ total submission to the Father. It is nothing more and nothing less than total and unconditional love for the Father. It was the greatest act of love and the most God-glorifying thing that could be offered. Jesus then makes it clear that He will be with His apostles only a little while longer. They, of course, don’t understand. Still, Jesus goes on to tell His apostles that just as He has loved them, they are to love one another. He is asking them to refocus the love they have for Him to each other for His sake. They must put aside petty rivalries and “us against them” thinking. By their loving care for each other and all those they encounter, others should be able to recognize them as disciples of Jesus. Jesus says simply, “I give you a new commandment: love one another.” Jesus has boiled down the 613 different commandments the Pharisees prided   themselves on obeying to just two. They encompass the whole of the Law: Love God and Love your neighbor as yourself. This new commandment is required of each of us as well if we want to be His followers. Could each of us pass the test that Jesus proposes at the end of this reading? Can we be identified as disciples of Christ by how we love one another? This love is not a “feeling” or “emotion.” Jesus is not asking us to have sweet, happy, feelings toward all. The love He speaks of is a resolve or a commitment to action. As Bishop Robert Barron so well states, it is willing the good of the   other. This “simple” commandment of Jesus is in fact the greatest challenge we will encounter in this life.