Twelfth day of Christmas, Friday – 05th January 2024 – 1 John 3,11-21; John 1,43-51
Inclusive Christian Love
In the first reading, John returns to the off-repeated centrality of Christian message of love for one another. Jesus gave this as a new commandment first time in John 13,34-35 and repeated it in John 15,12.17. Paul mentions its importance in Rom 12,10 and 1 Thess 4,9. Peter notes believers are to “love one another” in 1 Peter 1,22. John alone gives more emphasis and develops this theme repeatedly in his letters (1 John 3,11.23; 4,7.11.12 and 2 John 1,5). He highlights the need to love our brothers and sisters, not just as our blood relatives, but include everyone as our sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus. And so, we are not to follow the example of Cain who killed his brother simply out of jealousy and spite. Yet, we should not be least surprised if the world, that is, the world of sin and self-centeredness, hates us and wants to harm us. Of course, it is happening all the time. As loving Christians, we need to love in return and it should be our natural reaction for hatred. But the example of Cain is still to be found everywhere – even inside the Church at times. People are hated so often, not because they are bad, but because they are good. Let us strive for follow the great teaching of Apostle Paul, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12,21).
