I give you a new commandment

It occurred in a small village in France in 1943. The
village was occupied, but the local people felt sorry for the
soldiers who had invaded their area. They were young men,
far from home. They could not get supplies easily. So each
day the parish priest would go from door to door with two
large baskets, begging food for the soldiers. Local produce
would emerge - a few eggs, some bread, vegetables and so on.
Then one day the local resistance movement blew up a
strategic bridge. The commander of the occupying forces
demanded reprisals and ordered that every man in the village
between the ages of 16 and 65 be taken to the village square.
There, in front of their wives, mothers, and girlfriends, they
were shot! The villagers were totally distraught. They turned
on the priest and said, “Father, if you come and ask again for
food for those murderers, we will kill you!” They were so
angry and upset at what they had witnessed.
On the day of the funeral the church was completely full.
There was no one in that village who had not lost someone.
The old priest stood up and read from the Gospel of St. John.
He read the passage for this Sunday. “I give you a new
commandment. Love one another as I have loved you. By
this shall everyone know you are my disciples, that you love
one another.” Later that day the old priest stood in the village
square and with tears in his eyes he watched the local people
filling the baskets he held in his arms with food to feed the
enemy soldiers.
When we think of the forgiveness and generosity of those
villagers, perhaps we feel that we could never match such an
action. If we had seen a loved one murdered before our eyes,
we might not be able to forgive. However, it is important to
remember that this kind of love and forgiveness does not come
naturally. It is a gift of God. The villagers managed to make
a super human effort after attending Mass and hearing the
Gospel proclaimed. That is what really made all the
difference.
The commandment to love totally, is a very radical call.
It is possible. However, it can be achieved only with the
supernatural gift of God. Our society would have us believe
that it is easy to love. To truly love is to enter into a complete
gift of oneself. It is to empty ourselves of many of our
negative feelings for the sake of others. That is the challenge
of this weekend’s liturgy. It is a challenge which is most
profound! And it is as fresh a call as it was when it first came
from the lips of Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved
you!” Ask for the grace to discern the dictates of love in your
life!!