We take the
concept of love in today’s Gospel not in the realms of conditions but rather as
coming from the domain of intentions. To explain this, let me put the words of
Jesus through the lips of a young man who is courting a woman. Jesus’ challenge
of love, “if you truly love me, you will
keep my word and follow me” is different from a boyfriend’s craving to own
his woman: “if you love me, then follow
me and leave your family.” Both may seem to suggest laying conditions to
the part of the lover but the difference spells out when we see the intentions
of the person who really loves. And if it is really genuine, then it should
follow other descriptions of love such as freeing, selfless and responsible.
In order to move
closer to the idea of Jesus’ intentional love, we can use the conditions of parents
who care for their children. “If you love
me my son, you should study hard for your own sake…” Parents believe that
if they are not going to challenge their children to work hard for their
success they will definitely repeat the mistakes of others in the past. They insist
on their loving conditions even if difficulties and rejections arise, just to let
their children realize what is best in life. Jesus’ love is the same. He must
insist on his Word, to the extent that it must be a commandment to be followed
by everyone, in order to let his children be with Him with His Father in heaven.
Conditions are indeed
violations to the rule of love because love must be something that you give
without expecting for return. But these conditions are justified when we see
the intentions of the person who really love us unconditionally.
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