Love Each Other

In the message of October 25, 2001, Our Lady says:

“Also today I call you to pray from your whole heart and to love each other. Little children, you are chosen to witness peace and joy.”

Old Testament

Already in the Old Testament, the commandment of the love of God was completed by the “second commandment” - “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Leviticus 19,18)

In the most ancient texts it was already visible that indifference or enmity towards the neighbour offends God himself (Genesis 4), and the Law itself speaks about human relationships (Exodus 20:12-17) and relationships towards the poor (Exodus 22:20-26; 23:4-12) which assure peace in the community and in the nation. Prophetical and Books of Wisdom go in the same direction: man cannot please God if he does not respect others, especially those who are “less interesting” (Amos 1 and 2; Jeremiah 9:2-5; Ezekiel 18:5-9; Malachi 3:5; Proverbs 14:21; 1:8-19; Sirach 25:1; Wisdom 2:10).

Isaiah is very demanding, when he says in 1:15-19: “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land.”

This duty is seldom called love of the neighbour. (Leviticus 19:18; 19:34; Deuteronomy 10:19)

Jewish Tradition

Before the coming of Christ, Judaism has deepened the significance of the nature of the fraternal love: Love of the neighbour includes even the enemy, Jewish or pagan. Love becomes more and more universal. Hilel says, “Live peace, seek peace. Love all the creatures and lead them to the Law”.

New Testament

Two Loves

From one end to the other of the New Testament, love of the neighbour is inseparable of the love of God - these two commandments are the highpoint and the key of the Law (Mark 12:28-33). Fraternal love is the accomplishment of all moral demands (Galatians 5:14; Romans 13:8; Colossians 3:14). In fact, it is the only commandment (John 15:12; 2 John 5), the only work of the living faith (Galatians 5:6.22; 1 John 4:20; 5:2). We shall be judged according to love: “You did it to me!” (Matthew 25:31-46). The testament of Jesus Himself is love: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34)

Source of Love

Prayer, peace, joy and love are tightly linked. We can pray only united to Jesus, who is love. We shall find peace only if we pray and love with all our strength (in other words, if we observe the commandments). Joy proceeds from love, but we cannot love with our human strength. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4) "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

How to “remain in Him”? Luke 10:38-42 tells: Mary “sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said” while “Martha was distracted by all the preparations”. Jesus does not reprimand Martha because she was serving, but because she “was distracted”, “worried and upset about many things”. True charity is serene and peaceful. St. Paul composed a canticle about it (1 Corinthians 13):

Hymn of Love

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”