“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jo.13.35
Before one pledges to follow another, it would be wise to consider why we are following them and where they are leading us. Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.” In other words, we can know that Christ comes from God, and is a true disciple of the one God because He was lifted up on the cross. We are told to measure His words by His actions. His obedience to God by laying down His life on our behalf explains why we pledge our loyalty to Christ. He is worthy of our devotion because of His expressed devotion, not only to His Father, but to us. We pledge ourselves to Him because He has pledged His very life to us.
Where is Christ leading us? He tells us plainly, that we are His disciples when we follow Him in sacrificial love. The Father directed Christ to lay down His life for us. He directs us to lay down our lives for each other. Every February we commemorate the sacrifice of St. Valentine who, according to one tradition, was martyred for his devotion to Christ but measured by his love for others. In defiance of Claudius, who sought better soldiers by banning marriage, Valentine secretly joined couples in holy matrimony. He was caught and executed, because he was expressing his love for Christ by loving others. The truth is that every time one Christian sacrifices for the well being of another we echo that one supreme sacrifice and show ourselves His disciples. Why do we follow Christ? His love of course.
Where is He leading us? To love, of course. When you think about it, Christ is telling us, “Be my Valentine.”
2/14/07 ts
Just me trying to be honest with God.
