Jesus raises the bar of expectation of our lives even higher

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

“The measure of love is love without measure.” — St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

We have all probably loved or cared for someone in our life so much that we declared: “If he’s not welcome here, than neither am I”; “If you don’t let her play, then I don’t want to play, either.”

Our response says: “To not accept my friend is to not accept me.”

Jesus not only speaks in this manner, he says two more things which clearly makes this one of his most demanding teachings.

It is also the testimony of his manner of living.

First: Jesus identifies not just with his friends — or with those whom he loves or those who love him — rather, he identifies with the “least,” the most “insignificant.”

Jesus tells us that what we do to them, we do the same to him. What we fail to do to and for them, we fail to do to and for him.

In so doing this, the Lord raises the bar of loving and caring to include everyone.

At the same time, he raises even higher the bar of expectation so that our lives, clearly, are called to become lives of love, service, caring, generosity, compassion, outreach, understanding, forgiveness, reconciliation and respect.

Jesus is seeking nothing less than total transformation of our thinking and acting.

Second: Jesus makes this issue so important that he presents it as the condition of our judgment.

He describes the scene in which these words are spoken as the judgment scene with the Son of Man — Christ — seated upon his throne.

There could not be a more frightful or definitive place to speak these words. In other words, Jesus means for these words to be taken quite seriously.

And why would he not? Isn’t the safety and salvation of all in this life dependent upon this kind of caring?

If individuals and whole peoples can end up being the “least” and most “insignificant,” doesn’t this teaching grant them the possibility of hope?

Isn’t the opposite of this hope simply suffering and despair?

Imagine proclaiming this passage in prison or on death row. Imagine hearing this spoken to us by our worst enemy, or by the person whom we cannot or will not forgive.

It seems to be an impossible teaching. It is way too much to expect!

Unless, of course, it is meant to invite us to become more like Christ himself and to transform us into a people who love one another as God loves us.

So says Jesus: “I have the words of everlasting life!”

Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at perry.leiker@gmail.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.