A New Commandment I Give Unto You

June: Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13

When the ten commandments were given to the children of Israel, the Leviticus version includes this counsel when speaking of not bearing false witness, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge…but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Lev. 19:16) This basic tenet, given with the establishment of the law of Moses was openly discussed at the time of Jesus. When a lawyer came to Christ and asked, “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded by asking him what the scriptures said, and the scribe quoted two scriptures, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, … and thy neighbor as thyself.” (Luke 10:25-28)

At the last supper, after Jesus had washed the apostle’s feet, he sat with them to eat. During this time, Judas Iscariot left. And alone with the faithful eleven, Christ began to teach. He said, “A NEW commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34)

How was this commandment new? It had been given at the onset of the law.

But his commandment was different, it didn’t say to love our neighbor with the imperfect love in which we love ourselves. The sort of love that berates our faults, the love that judges our worst qualities against other’s best. No, we are not to love our neighbor with the love that at times deflates our personal egos and at other times puffs them up to unreasonable heights.

We are to NOW love with the LOVE OF CHRIST. He said, “As I have loved you…”

The hardest part of that commandment is that now we have to learn what the love of Christ is so that we can emulate it. How do we do that?

First, we can read about Christ’s love, both during his mortal ministry in the four gospels and his continuing love illustrated through the rest of the scriptures.

Second, we can pray for that love to be brought to our hearts. Moroni taught, “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (Moroni 7:48)

Last, we give that love to others for it is only in the giving that we learn what the love of Christ truly is and discover its power to heal, lift, comfort or simply endure. As we reach out and love often enough, it becomes part of who we are and how we think. We become God’s partner in serving his children on earth. In fact, we are told we should wear this attitude of love and service like a “mantle” which was a large scarf people wore to keep their heads covered in the heat or rain, it could wrap around them to keep them warm in the cold or even be used to cover them when they sleep. The Lord says. “…above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.” (D&C 88:125)

For me, I think of that mantle of charity as a cozy sweater, big enough that I can pull one of my grandchildren close and wrap them up in it with me. I know as we spread that love more fully, it will light the world one heart at a time.