Rev. Ann's Letter

June 2025

“Love each other, as I have loved you”.  This is Jesus’ command to his disciples in our reading from John’s gospel yesterday. I didn’t get to preach on it, so this is my attempt now. 

Jesus then repeats, “This is my command: love each other”.  This is such a straightforward command, or it should be,and yet, we as humans and as a church have so often complicated it by setting conditions on our love.

Who then are we meant to love?  Our family, our friends, the other members of our church community?  Well, yes, of course, but is there anyone else?  That is for us to decide for ourselves, but perhaps I can set some things out.

First of all, in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus states very clearly that all laws and prophecies must now be based on the two commandments to love God and to love our neighbour.

Secondly, when asked in Luke’s gospel, “who is my neighbour?”, Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan.  In this parable it is the despised Samaritan who is the only one to show mercy to the injured traveller, a Jew, who the Samaritan would normally have been meant to despise in return.  Those who passed the injured man by, were representatives of the church, men who should have been examples of mercy and grace.
In one of my favourite stories from Acts we read of the encounter between the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip.  This encounter is God given and the Ethiopian is converted to Christianity.  However, as a black man and with, what would have been considered at the time, dubious sexuality, he would have been a very problematical figure for Philip, but Philip did not hesitate when he was commanded to speak with him and explain the good news of Jesus Christ.

In both of these examples, the parable of the Good Samaritan and Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, we see people who would be considered ‘beyond the pale’, both demonstrating and receiving a loving response to need.

Who then is our neighbour?  Who are we commanded to love?  I leave that with you.

Then, how do we love?  Well, let us return to John’s gospel:

“Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

So Jesus is telling us that if we keep his commands to love God and our neighbour as ourselves, we will remain in his love and in God’s love, and we will be following his example. In his life, again and again, Jesus loves those considered unlovable by others, and yet loved by God.  Do we take him as our example, or do we keep within our safe and unchallenging boundaries?  

Like Philip and the Good Samaritan, we do not always get to choose who we are being asked to love. Only God does that. Again, it is up to you how you respond.

Go well.

Ann