Jesus said to his disciples:
"As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father's commandments
and remain in his love.
"I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another."
In this passage Jesus reminds us that love and friendship are the corner stones of the Kingdom of God. Jesus relates to us not as lord, king, or ruler, rather he relates to us in an intimate way. He relates to us as a friend. Friends are close, trust worthy, someone we can go to when we are in trouble. We are also being called to love one another. When we love, we are loved. When we love, we share our gifts with the world. Love inspires love. Love is the only way to usher in the Kingdom of God.
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