With Opened Bible

On this fifth Sunday of Easter, Jesus bestows upon us a new commandment: to love one another.

This commandment, though seemingly ancient in the context of the Law of Moses, carries a profound novelty. 'Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.' (Leviticus 19:18) This commandment, however, is not limited by blood ties or citizenship. It is a universal call to love, embracing all of humanity.

It's all in the context. When it comes to the Bible, a text taken out of context can become a pretext.

According to the Law of Leviticus, love of neighbor was limited by blood ties. The neighbor I must love and protect is a citizen of my people. Moses gave the Law, but Israel in the flesh received it. Thus, loving one's neighbor went hand in hand with protecting one's compatriot. 'No grudge, no revenge against your own people.' That love was a close circle. But with Jesus, this circle of love expands, transcending all boundaries and becoming a universal concept.

However, Jesus came to save humanity, not just the Jews. The grace of the Gospel was given to all nations. (Let us recall the reception of the Gospel by the pagans in Acts 13:46.) Saint John confirms this universality of salvation when he declares, "God so loved the world (nations), he gave his only begotten Son." (John 3:16) By loving the whole world, Jesus' new commandment becomes a universal commandment. From now on, he who loves must be able to love everyone without discrimination. According to Gospel criteria, love of neighbor goes beyond boundaries of race, color, language, or religion. We have, for example, the Good Samaritan who comes to the aid of a man who does not love him because of his Samaritan origins. (Cf. Luke 10:25-37) Love knows no bounds. It is catholic, that is, universal. This is the challenge that Jesus presents to us, to love without discrimination, to love as He loves.

Let us be Catholic like the love of Christ to evangelize and save all humanity