This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.

You may want to know when it was Jesus said these words. He spoke in this way just before his passion began. These words were part of his farewell discourse to his disciples, part of his testament.

Just think how important they are! If the words a father says, shortly before dying can never be forgotten, how much more so the words of a God?

So let's take them very seriously and try to understand them in depth.

Jesus was about to die and what he said reflected this forthcoming event. Because of his imminent departure one problem needed solving: how could he remain among his own and take care of the Church?

You know of course that Jesus is present for example in the sacraments; he becomes present in the Eucharist.

But Jesus is also present wherever there are people who live mutual love. For he told us: 'Wherever two or three are united in my name' (and this is possible through mutual love) 'there am I in the midst of them.' (Mt. 18:20).

Thus. in a community where life is deeply rooted in mutual love, he can continue to be present and active. And through the community he can continue to reveal himself to the world and make his influence felt.

Isn't this splendid? Doesn't this make you want to start right now to live this love with your fellow Christians?

According to St John, who recorded the words we are now meditating on, mutual love is the most important commandment of the Church, whose vocation is, in fact, to be communion, to be unity.

In fact Jesus said: "By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples" (John 13:35).

If therefore you want to know the true mark of authentic disciples of Christ, if you want to know their distinctive characteristic, you will find it in the mutual love they live. Christians are recognised by this sign. If it is missing, the world will no longer recognise in Christians disciples of Jesus.

Mutual love brings about unity. Jesus also said: "... May they all be one... so that the world may believe..." (John 17:21). Unity, by revealing Christ's presence, draws the world to follow him. When the world sees unity and mutual love, it believes in him.

In the same farewell discourse Jesus called this commandment 'his'. It is his and is therefore particularly dear to him. You should not simply take it as a norm or rule or a commandment just like the others. Here Jesus wants to reveal a way of life to you. He wants to tell you how to build your life. The first Christians in fact placed this commandment at the basis of their lives. As Peter said: "Above all, let your love for one another be constant" (I Pt 4:8).

Before going to work, before going to study, before going to church, before any activity, check whether mutual love reigns between you and whoever lives with you. If so, then on this basis everything is worthwhile. Without this foundation, nothing is pleasing to God.

Jesus tells you that this commandment is 'new'. 'I give you a new commandment'. What did he mean? That this commandment was previously unknown? No 'new' showed that it belonged to the 'new times'. What do these words mean, then?

Look, Jesus died for us. Therefore he loved us in the greatest way possible. But with what kind of love did he love us? Certainly not with a love like ours. His love was, and is, 'divine'. In fact he said, 'As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you' (Jn. 15:9). He loved us with the same love with which he and the Father love each other.

It is with this same love that we must love one another in order to carry out the 'new' commandment.

However, as human beings, you and I do not possess this kind of love. But happily, as Christians, we have received it. The Holy Spirit pours it into our hearts and into the hearts of all believers.

There is, therefore, a bond between the Father, the Son and us Christians, because of this unique, divine love which we possess. It is this love which introduces us into the life of the Trinity. It is this love which makes us children of God.

Heaven and earth are thus linked by a great current of love. By means of this love the Christian community shares in God's life and divine life dwells on earth wherever believers love one another.

Don't you feel all this is infinitely beautiful and that Christian life is extraordinarily fascinating?

Chiara Lubich