Today Jesus is telling His friends and us, that as He has loved us so should we love one another. This is so comforting and sounds like the exact thing we would want to do. Jesus tells us that he encourages us to love so that His joy and our joy may be complete. We are attracted to this kind of teaching and teacher. Loving and being joyful as a result seems to be the exact pattern we all would want to live.

We have a wonderful story in the first reading which shows just how demanding true love in Christ can be. Peter and Paul and others are having a discussion with those who have converted to the following of Jesus. The question before the assembly is should the new gentile converts also have to do some of the religious practices which the Jewish converts once practiced.

Peter tells it like it is by saying, "Our belief is rather that we are saved by the favour of the Lord Jesus and so are they." The love of God has made us all God's chosen family and loving each other is the new law which replaces all other religious practices.

This gentle Christ-love is the best and only way to settle disagreements that may arise in our families and among our neighbours.