*

Every human being coming into this world has the experience of being loved. From the very moment the baby is conceived in his mother’s womb, the baby feels many people’s love, concern and expectations. This feeling of being loved grows deeper and deeper as time goes by. In the beginning when children are very young, love is always self-centred. The child cannot have the experience of a higher form of love. Love for the baby is just like the air he breathes. Without it there is no life. Love is the driving force of all things in the universe. People use many different words to describe it. Love is mercy, love is care, love is compassion for nature etc.

The Gospel of Jesus could be called ‘musical rhythms of love’. As different rhythms of music make us experience different emotional reactions so Jesus’ Gospel at times gives us a feeling of peacefulness and joy, at other times though puts us in front of the contradictions and complexity of life. Jesus continuously reminds his disciples of the importance of love. Even during the last supper, before his death, after washing his disciples’ feet, he tells them: “I give you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you, you also must love one another.” ( John 13：34﹚ Actually the whole life of Jesus is a concrete example of this commandment. Jesus’ commandment may sound very simple to some people, but for the Pharisees and all those who strictly followed the commandments of God given to Moses, Jesus’ commandment looked preposterous and dangerous. In a sense they were right, because if love is imposed by a law then love becomes meaningless.

This new commandment of Jesus completely changes the nature of interpersonal relationships. Human relationships must be true friendship. People must respect and accept one another. The effect of this love is joy, and this joy is complete. This complete joy confirms the existence of love. Jesus said, “If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.” ( John 15：10-11﹚ Jesus adds: “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.” ( John 14：23﹚ This love does not only improve interpersonal relationships, but also deepens the relationship between people and the Father. “You will understand that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you.” ( John 14：20﹚

*

We in the Father, the Father in us reveals the intimacy of the relationship. People will in the end realize that ultimately the Father is Love. To know the Father it is not an intellectual enterprise, but a very deep experience of our existence, a kind of spiritual illumination. However, Love is not just words, but it demands concrete actions. “Since in Christ Jesus whether you are circumcised or not makes no difference; what matters is faith that makes its power felt through love.” ( Galatians 5：6﹚ It is clear so that those who believe in the Lord should let their actions manifest their love. Love is our only everlasting heritage. Everything else will fade away. Only love will last forever. “If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simple a gong booming or a cymbal clashing.” ( 1 Corinthians 13：1﹚ Without love, everything will become worthless. Even if someone gives his life for God, without love, it will be worthless.

Some Christian scholars have written that Jesus’ teaching on love contains all that is needed in a human relationship. It is the most beautiful love poem, which will make you feel the beat of various musical rhythms of love. The actions by which the believer shows his love for people and for God are the fruit of his deep joy. These actions are like musical notes that sing the beauty of believing. If a person wants to learn to sing this song, he needs the help of someone who knows the song. Those who have been loved and have received love, know how to love, just as the Heavenly Father loved us and we know how to love. Some scholars describe humankind like a dried up river. The Father made himself the water spring of this river making the river stream flow continuously singing the musical rhythms of Love. Those who have received the love of the Father and have drunk this water will know the Father, will know how to sing and even how to play the various musical rhythms of the Gospel.

Some people may have a negative experience of love. May be they were hurt or betrayed by love and as a result they are afraid of loving. However, if they could open themselves up and accept the love of God the Father, their wounds would be either less painful or completely healed. They would be ready to set off for a new journey and learn to sing the musical rhythms of Love.