"To Be Loved”

In Jesus Holy Name May 14, 2023

Text: John 14:15 Easter VI Redeemer

“To Be Loved”

Last Sunday I suggested that as we read chapters 13-17 in John we should try imagine ourselves in the Upper Room listening in on the conversation Jesus was having with His disciples. These are His words shared during the Passover meal before He and His disciples leave for the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you, …. love one another; as I have loved you.” (John 13:34). The final phrase is the essential one – as I have loved you.” We cannot live without “love”. To be loved…is critical to our well being. When someone loves you, they accept you for who you are, including your strengths and weaknesses. They support you, encourage you, and want what is best for you. Love is an emotional bond that makes us feel safe, understood, and valued. That is what our mothers have done for us.

This is Mother’s Day. It is a day to give thanks to our mothers for all their patience, selflessness, kindness and care. They have been and are our cook and counselor; maybe our beautician, barber, and budget director. Your mother’s love conquered your shortcomings; and with faith in your future, overlooked your failures.

Motherhood is a special and important role that requires great love, patience, and sacrifice, mercy and forgiveness. These descriptive words are descriptions of the character traits of God that were displayed in the life of Jesus. When we experience patience, selflessness, kindness, care, mercy, forgiveness and love in our homes, it enables us to understand the love to Jesus.

So today, mothers will receive flowers, cards, scribbled notes from children and grandchildren, hugs and kisses. Every mom knows that children and husbands can be cranky, stubborn, selfish, and say cruel words. A mom loves and shows mercy because love overcomes bad attitudes. A mom loves because she has experienced God’s love and mercy. A mother loves because she is imitating Jesus.

Last year around Thanksgiving time, a four-year-old boy was separated from his mother in the large supermarket. Confused but not panicked, he began to walk up and down the aisles calling out his mother's name: "Melissa! Melissa! Melissa!" Eventually, from the next aisle down, his mother heard him and called for him to stay where he was. Mother and son were soon reunited.

As they finished their shopping, mother gently corrected, "Honey, you shouldn't call me 'Melissa.' I'm 'Mother' to you." With wisdom beyond his years, the boy replied, "Yes, I know, but this store is full of moms. I wanted you." The boy was right. The world is full of moms, but our mom is one-of-a-kind. Only she would be committed enough to changing our diapers and washing sheets and pajamas when flu struck in the middle of the night; only she would gush over a handmade Mother's Day present.(from Rev. Ken Klaus May 14 2006)

We cannot love if we aren’t first loved. Just this week a young police office was shot and killed in Chicago. She was going to graduate from Loyola with a Master’s Degree. Her mother’s response when interviewed was: I’m sorry for those who killed my daughter, they have never experienced love nor do they understand the love of life.” She was talking about the values of Jesus no longer experienced in many homes.

That’s why Jesus said… Love one another “as I have loved you.” Because He has loved us first, because He has shown mercy first, we then love in return. Because we have experienced “love” from our mothers, in our homes, we can understand the command of Jesus to “obey His commandments” and “love one another”. For God is love. Love, acceptance experienced brings peace, stability.

Read through Scripture. You will see God's love and commitment. When God created the world and made Adam and Eve, He loved them. When they broke the only command they had been given, God did something you and I would not have done: He kept on loving them -- indeed, He promised to send a Redeemer to save them from sin, death, and Satan.

The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all had their shortcomings, but God's love and commitment remains secure. The prophet Moses sins, strong man Samson slips, but God's commitment stands firm. God remains committed and steadies the slingshot of a shepherd boy and brings down a giant; God's commitment stands in Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego and shuts the lion's mouth to save Daniel's life. God's people wander, but His commitment does not waver; His children grow corrupt, but His commitment continues on.

God loves us. God is committed to us, not only for our eternal salvation but our daily existence. Christ came to fulfill God's commitment of love. Before Jesus was born, He knew the price He would pay to keep His Father's promise of salvation. Even so, Jesus kept God's commitment to save us as He fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies which identified Him as the Savior. The blind received their sight, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf were given hearing, the dead were raised up, and the poor - they had good news preached to them.