The New Commandment

Preached at St Alphege Church on Sunday on Maundy Thursday, 20th March 2008 at 7.30pm Eucharist, Year A

Readings: Exodus 12 1-4 & 11-14 1 Corinthians 11 23-26 John 13: 1-17 & 31b- 35


In March 2000 our family was preparing to go to India for what was expected to be a three year work placement. As we planned the move we were advised that alcoholic products could not be taken to India and could not go into UK storage. I was therefore faced with the solemn task of giving away my malt whisky collection. I remember giving an old Dalwhinnie to one friend, a very fine Bowmore to another friend and my beloved highland malts went to the curate. There was a sombre feel to these gifts. There was joy in the giving, but sorrow in losing the whisky and a foreboding sense of departure; going away from my friends for a long time.
Some of these feelings are present with Jesus at the last supper. Our New Testament readings today present Jesus as opening his great spiritual treasure chest and sharing gifts of incalculable value with his friends before he leaves this world.
The first big gift that Jesus gives us at the last supper is the gift of his body and blood in the Eucharist. He asks us to repeat the Eucharist in remembrance of him, proclaiming his death until he comes again.
A second big gift is the example he gives in the washing of the disciples’ feet. Washing feet is a very humble task, traditionally assigned to the lowest servant and yet done by Jesus the Lord and Teacher. The example is to serve one another in very simple and practical ways. He adds, “If you know these things you are blessed if you do them.”
This evening however I would like to focus most on a third big gift. The gift of Jesus’ New Commandment; “Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
Now the scary thing about the New Commandment is the level of love implied. Jesus loved us to the point of giving up his life for us, so “as I have loved you” tells us that we should be ready to give our lives for one another; ready to die for one another. So in the church we are called to love one another to the point of being ready to give our lives for one another. And if I am ready to give my life for you, how much more ready am I to wash up for you, to put up with some of your irritating habits, or to help you, or to give you the things that you need.
Now, in the life of the church, it is very important that this loving and self giving is mutual. If one person does all the loving and giving, and is not loved and does not receive anything back, then very quickly the giver starts to run out of steam.
In church we often don’t live the New Commandment very well. Often we do not even know the people around us, never mind love them. As ever, we need to hold before the Lord our various shortcomings and to pray for his mercy and help. And yet I believe that there are signs of hope. During the House Eucharists this Lent I heard many people talking about their favourite hymns. Sometimes through this process small, and even not so small, pieces of spiritual treasure were given and received. Some sharing of our spiritual goods started to take place and this is very significant. I hope that we will find more opportunities for this through Fan the Flame so that we san start to build up the bonds of mutual love between us.
I believe that this is very important. It is important for us as church as we think about Going for Growth. Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” So mutual love among Christians is central to our witness to other people. It is central to our mission. It is central to our aspirations for church growth.
But the New Commandment is also important in forming us into good citizens of heaven. It seems to me that we cannot think our place in heaven as something that is ours by right, or something that we own. Rather it is a gift that we are given, that we must be humble enough to receive and ready to share with others. I suspect that Jesus wants us to live the New Commandment in the church so that we can be well trained and ready to live the life of heaven when we get there.
So as we contemplate the awesome mysteries of the Triduum. As we mediate on Christ who gives himself for us completely even to the point of death, let us pray that the Lord will help us to love one another, to serve one another and to grow into the ways of the New Commandment. Amen.