The meaning of love
1 John 3:11-21 - Friday, January 5, 2024, Christmas Week
Amidst the renewed emphasis on the Bible within the Catholic Church following Vatican II, it's crucial to remember that Christianity transcends mere adherence to scriptures. Christianity is not a religion of "the book" but a religion of love. John encapsulates this profound truth in today's fragment of his first letter (1 John 3:11-21) by offering a simple yet profound definition of love: it is the willingness to sacrifice oneself for others.
Abstract definitions often elude us, but concrete examples clarify abstract concepts. To illustrate the meaning of love, John draws a compelling contrast between Cain and Jesus. While Cain murdered his brother, Jesus exemplified selflessness by sacrificing his life for all humanity. Thus, it's Jesus, not Cain, who serves as the paradigm for emulation. Unfortunately, it looks like Cain has more followers in our contemporary world where hatred and killing destroyes innocent lives.
After explaining that the crucified Christ defines love, John urges us not merely to speak about love but to manifest it through action: "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18). John highlights the enduring issue of poverty that has plagued humanity for ages, questioning how God's love can reside in anyone who, despite possessing resources, turns a blind eye to a brother in need. "If anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). The answer is obvious.
Considerable discourse exists on eradicating poverty, exemplified by the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the aim to end global poverty by 2030, set in motion in 2015. However, past initiatives like the Millennium Development Goals aimed at eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by 2015 failed due to the reluctance of affluent nations, corporations, and individuals to share resources with the impoverished. The same goes for the Church. Ron Sider's impactful book, "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity," challenged affluent Christians to act on behalf of their poverty stricken brothers and sisters in Christ. But how much he succeeded to move them to action remains uncertain.
The last part of our fragment of John's letter aligns with the biblical tradition underscoring that generosity towards the destitute holds redemptive power. We find this idea in the book of Proverbs and Tobit: "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done" (Prov 19:17); "almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin" (Tobit 12:9). John suggests that by imitating Christ and sharing resources with the needy, individuals can stand confidently before the Lord (1 John 3:19-21).