“Anything that doesn’t lead us to that –to better know and serve God– is a waste of time.” Br. Charles de Foucauld
The 14th chapter of St. John’s Gospel is part of “the Last Supper Discourse.” There is something tender and deeply personal within the verses of the chapter. During the course of the Supper it becomes evident that the disciples are in denial, but Jesus is not. They are about to part, something is happening that cannot be stopped now, and it will change everything.
Jesus has spoken to them again and again about being the Way, about being the Light, the Bread, and the Truth. These are all descriptions of Himself and what He wants to offer them. He has asked them to believe Him, to trust Him, and to follow Him. Now He asks something much greater. This is the only time in all of the Gospel narratives that Jesus speaks this way during His ministry and asks this particular thing of His disciples. It will happen one more time, but that will be after the Resurrection. He asks them to love Him … and the Last Supper Discourse immediately becomes a conversation of the heart.
John 14 is about something far greater than even friendship, the love of husband and wife, or the love of a parent and a child. Jesus is talking about love in the way that the Father and the Son love one another. Theirs is a relationship that comes from a mutual devotion. It comes from their unity. In the relationship Jesus has with the Father, obedience has nothing to do with rules. It is about sharing the same desires because there is no difference between them. They both long for, desire, and will the same thing.
After inviting us follow Him, Jesus asks us to love Him – which is a great deal more than “believe” in Him. He is not asking us to obey rules, He is asking us to share His heart. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” is a request for love, not obedience. After all, we do not keep His commandments so that He will love us; we keep His commandments because He loves us and that love makes it possible. We can then devote ourselves to knowing Him and serving Him with our whole heart, mind, and soul.
