Commentators on today’s Gospel often point to 1 John 4:12: “No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.”
When we grasp—both with our minds and deep within our hearts—that everything in our faith and in the Lord’s desire for us is rooted in love, we begin to understand what Jesus teaches in today’s Gospel. Love is more than a feeling; it is the power that unites and strengthens us. It heals divisions, mends hurts, and binds us to one another.
To love our neighbor as the Lord commands involves accepting responsibility for their spiritual well being and growth. This means seeking forgiveness, extending forgiveness, and allowing reconciliation to take root. Such reconciliation opens the way for us to gather in love, in the name of Christ, and to recognize His presence among us.
When we are reconciled and united in prayer with our brothers and sisters, our love for Christ deepens. That love equips us to live each day authentically as His beloved children—even when such a life is misunderstood or rejected by the world.
Living in Love with God 
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