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Across the Pastor’s Desk by Henry Doyle

How do people know we are Christians? How does someone know we follow Jesus Christ and accept him as our Lord and Savior?

Does the wearing of a cross depicting our Lord identify us as Christians? Does attendance at worship every Saturday evening or Sunday morning say we are Christians?

Does the Nativity set in our yard at Christmas identify us as Christians? Does the John 3:16 bumper sticker on our F150 say we follow Jesus Christ? Jesus says only one thing truly identifies us as Christians: the love we express to others.

Jesus said, “Let me give you a new command. Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples — when they see the love you have for each other.” — John 13:34-35

We love people who respect, care about us, take interest in us, make sacrifices for us and stand up for us.

We have difficulty loving those who have abandoned, betrayed, beaten, assaulted, bullied or swindled us.

Jesus’ disciples, his closest friends, abandoned him. Their abandonment hit him incredibly hard.

Nonetheless, he continued to love them. He forgave them and appeared to them after his resurrection. He interacted with them and assured them that he loved them.

Jesus commands us to love as he loves despite the anguish, pain and suffering we feel because of how someone has mistreated us.

In Romans 12:9-10, Paul the Apostle wrote, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”

Someone will know we are Christians, by our love, by our love.

“Let us love, since our heart is made for nothing else.” — Saint Therese of Lisieux

Henry Doyle is priest-in-charge at Christ Episcopal Church in Albert Lea.