Our Call to Community and Love for One Another
In a world where we are surrounded by constant distractions, cheap and quickly made goods, and a neverending opportunity to scroll through social media, our natural desire for authenticity has only become more tangible. When we eat at a restaurant, we want “authentic” food from a certain region. When we go on vacation, we seek out an Airbnb that will make us feel like we are “authentically living” in this particular area of the world. This longing for authenticity externally is well and good, but how genuine or deep is it really? It seems like we only wish to keep this authenticity at an arm’s length, in order to make us feel a certain way? How often do we make an effort to seek authenticity in the deeper, more spiritual aspects of our life?
One of the most obvious examples of misplaced authenticity in our culture is our relationship with each other. It is possible for us to text, call or FaceTime anyone in the world at any moment, yet the levels of loneliness, anxiety and despair have never been higher. The reason for this is largely due to the fact that so many people have ceased to live in real, authentic community. As Lent comes to a close, it would be beneficial to contemplate how pursuing authentic relationships with our brothers and sisters, our fellow children of God with whom we interact everyday, can more deeply convert our hearts to Jesus Christ. Faith is the foundation of authentic communion.
At the Last Supper, during Jesus’ final moments with His closest friends, He gave them and all of us the new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34-35)
Today we commemorate this Last Supper and all that was revealed during it. What will we take with us from these final directions Jesus gave to us just hours before He entered into His Passion? How can we live out this commandment in our day to day lives and what will change in our hearts if we strive to answer this call to authentically love one another?