Remain in my love.
Recently, during the Mass, we read Saint John's record of Jesus' speech at the Last Supper. Currently, we are in chapter 15.
In its first 10 verses, the Greek word mèno returns 9 times - to persist, persevere (and even: to dwell) - most often in the form of a request addressed to the disciples: "remain", "persevere". The urgency of this request must incline us into thinking: evidently, Jesus is after such an encounter with us that is not just about one-off raptures. It is not an accidental meeting; it is about a lasting relationship, about everyday attitudes, somehow unchanging - faithful, uninterrupted.
Ultimately, Jesus' exhortation is concretized as follows: "Remain in my love" (cf. Jn 15: 9). The "love" which Jesus is talking about is rendered here with the word agape - it is therefore a love that is a gift from God - is a love that God loves. So, Jesus says: "Endure my love for you", "do not run away from my love", "dwell in the experience of being loved by me", "do not move away from me", "let yourself be loved", "do not break this relationship”. In theory, this should not be difficult: to let God love us. What could be better? And yet ... Jesus' fear that we will not "remain" in this gift is not unfounded and theoretical. The explanation is given in the next verse: " 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 " (Jn 15:10). What is this sentence about? After all, it is not that if we do not keep the commandments, Jesus will stop loving us. His love - we know it well - is unconditional. He loves us "when we are sinners."
The point is that when we hear from Jesus about "commandments" - we (Satan raises in us) doubt: did He really loved us. Just like in paradise. One prohibition (order): From that tree you shall not eat; when you eat from it you shall die. (cf. Gen 2:17). The one and only commandment that can be seen not as a loving warning against death, but as evidence against God. As an argument that God does not love me; on the contrary, he jealously guards his prerogatives; he robs me of possible happiness (which he reserved only to himself). All the gifts of paradise - the four rivers, and "all trees," with fruits of all kinds - suddenly stopped counting at once. Only this prohibition counts: you shall not! And a devilish whisper: you will definitely not die! God simply does not want you to be like him (cf. Gen 3: 4-5). He does not want that you would be equal to Him. He wants to control you. Methodical, satanic suspicion - infused into the human heart in Paradise: commandment, prohibition, command is incompatible with love. Forbids - means: does not love.
Here you can see how far sin is not just breaking an anonymous commandment - breaking an abstract norm. Breaking the commandment is the fruit of doubting Jesus' love. When I am unable to reconcile His commandments with His love in my thinking - when I surrender to this paradise suspicion - I allow myself to be chased away by Satan from the experience of God's love - I cease to abide in it. He does not love me - I think - but limits me. So, I am looking for happiness for myself and fulfillment outside of Him and His love.
That is why Jesus asks in advance: "Remain ", " Remain in my love".
Until Tomorrow
fr. george