Love as trademark

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34,35

REFLECTION
After Jesus washed his disciples feet, Judas left to betray him. Peter stated that he was willing to give his life for his Master and that he would follow Jesus wherever he went. But the Lord answered that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crows…
Then Jesus told his disciples that he was going back to the Father. John has left us a full report with all the important instructions our Lord gave his disciples. Jesus humbled himself in order to do a servant’s job and he would soon lay down his life for his friends. But before his return to Heaven, he told his followers that their love for one another must be their trademark.

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, in you we have a perfect picture of God’s love. I do hope that the same love will be visible in my life and in the lives of your other followers here and now. But I’m afraid that many people will not recognize us because we are so judgmental, arrogant and divided. Am I wrong, Lord? What has happened to us? Do we really give the wrong impression about you to the outside World?
Change us, Lord. Change our hearts with the power of your Holy Spirit. Break our hearts open, fill us with your Word and power, let your goodness shine through our lives, let love be our true trademark! Change us into your image, Lord. Amen

Put your trust in the light

Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. (…) Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
John 12:35-36 and 44-46

REFLECTION
Jesus told the crowd that the Son of Man must be lifted up and will be taken away. The people just could not understand what the Lord meant by these mysterious words. Some of them did believe that Jesus was the Promised One, the Messiah, but they couldn’t imagine that their Liberator wasn’t going to stay with them for ever. They had their own expectations and didn’t want Jesus to leave.
But this is what we’ve just read: Jesus left and hid himself from them.
If we are pursuing our own plans, when we are trying to manipulate Jesus into doing our will, we will lose sight of Him and of the One He represents. We need Christ’s light to shine upon us, to show us God’s way and to liberate us from this world’s darkness.

PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, please help me to understand your Word. I need your light to show me what needs to be changed in my life; I need your light to get the right vision and perspective on the questions I am facing. I don’t want to remain in the darkness, I want to look at you and through you at the full light of the One in whom there is no darkness at all.
Light my way, dear Lord Jesus. I put my trust in You and I thank you for the light that You’ve brought into this world and into my heart! Help me to reflect your light so that the world will see that I am yours.