"Love One Another as I Have Loved You”                   

       (John 13:34)

Because we hear these words of Jesus so frequently, they don’t startle us.  But in hindsight, when the Apostles reflected on His words, their hearts were broken. They remembered that Judas had just left the table when Jesus spoke those words.   

Jesus loved Judas.  He called Judas to be an Apostle.  Jesus had just broken bread with him, when Judas betrayed Him. Amazingly, Jesus didn’t stop loving Judas even after He was betrayed.  Unfortunately Judas didn’t realize that. 

Why did Jesus love Judas so much? Why does He love any of us so much?

John Lukaszewicz, a deceased priest friend of mine, used to say, “Once you know a person’s story, you will almost always love that person.” I repeatedly realize the truth of that sentence. When we know the history of a person and some of the struggles they have faced, it is almost impossible not to love him/her. 

Jesus knew Judas well.  So, of course Jesus loved him…no matter what happened.

Jesus knows our stories better than we know our own.  He knows our checkered histories and our disorders too.  He also knows our gifts.  And He loves the whole package!

Who do you love the most?  Do you love the whole package?  Who loves you the most? Do you think they love the whole package?