A New Commandment

As we hear Jesus give his new commandment two things come to mind.

First, it’s really not that new. Leviticus and Deuteronomy both say something similar. The new bit is to love as Jesus loves. That is new.

Secondly, on the face of it, it all sounds so easy. But history shows that Christ’s followers have often struggled to show love for our fellow Christians, let alone to those not “one of us”. We struggle to even describe what this love is. Is it acceptance, or helping others out? Jesus acted like a servant and washed feet, calling that love. Jesus died a humiliating and excruciating death on a cross, and called that love.  What then is love?

And who are we to love? Many early Christians said people like us, Jews! Peter was caught between all that he knew to be right, and the call of the Spirit which led him to visit and eat with Gentiles. Paul went further and put the law to one side and said love fulfills the law. Jesus told a story about unsavoury people like robbers, innkeepers and Samaritans. This seems much harder than that original little saying felt when we first heard it.

A few weeks ago we remembered those New Zealanders who faced a foreign invading army and fought in defence of this land and their way of life at the Battles of Gate Pa and Te Ranga. We remembered Henare Taratoa and Heni Te Kiri Karamu who both show us the risk of loving, and who we are to love. How do we as the people of this place continue to honour their memory and example in our loving?