A Moment Aside for 27 April 2021

 A Moment Aside --- 27 April 2021

                          

I was once told of a legend of the early Christian Church. (The man who related this story was himself a legend of a sort, but that’s for another time.)

During a worship service of the early Christian Church, it became known that John the Evangelist, the writer of “the Gospel of John”, was in the congregation. The leader of the service asked him to come up and speak to the congregation. After some give-and-take, John consented to speak. Since he was an old man, John had to take some time to come to the front of the place and stand where the preacher would stand and where the lessons from Scripture would be proclaimed.

John looked around at the now silent congregation, took a deep breath, and began to speak. He said:

“Love one another!”

And sat down.

Really, what more needs to be said to believers?

     What more can be said to disciples of Jesus Christ?

Really, what lesson is more easily forgotten?

     What words do we need to be reminded of?

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.

Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,

if you have love for one another.

– John 13: 34-35