FAST FOOD (AD 2019): Thirtieth Helping
The “New Commandment:”
The heart, the Sacred Heart, of Christian morality
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (§782) teaches that the Church is marked by characteristics that clearly distinguish it from all other religious, ethnic, political or cultural groups found in history: Its law is the “new commandment “‘to love as Christ loved us’ (Jn 13:34). This is the ‘new’ law of the Holy Spirit (Rm 8:2; Ga 5:25).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (§1970) also teaches The Law of the Gospel requires us to make the decisive choice between “the two ways”and to put into practice the words of the Lord. The entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the “new commandment” of Jesus to love one another as he has loved us (Jn 15:12,13:34).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (§2822, 2826) also teaches that Jesus teaches us that one enters the Kingdom of Heaven not by speaking words, but by doing the will of my Father in heaven (Mt 7:21). His commandment is that you “love one another; even as I have loved you, you should love one another. This commandment summarizes all the others and expresses the Father’s entire will (Jn13:34;1Jn 3;4;Lk 10:25-37).
Jesus in the Gospels lives and teaches by word and deed a Way of Nonviolent Love of all under all circumstance, even of lethal enemies. Therefore, that love which is “as I have love,” that love which “contains the entire Law of the Gospel,” that love which “summarizes all the others and expresses the Father’s entire will,” that love which “clearly distinguish the Church from all other religious, ethnic, political or cultural groups found in history ,” that love for which “the Law of the Gospel requires us to make a decisive choice and to put into practice,” that love which is in conformity with Jesus’ “new commandment” is a Nonviolent Love of friends and enemies in imitation of Him. It is love (agape) in logical conformity with the words and deeds of the historical Nonviolent Jesus of the Gospels. It is love in conformity with the Nonviolent Person in the Gospels whose will on earth and in heaven was and is to do the entire will of the Father, regardless of cost: “Father if you are willing take this cup from me; yet, your will not mine be done” (Lk 22:42).
“I would like to obey the “new commandment” but the price I would have to pay to do it in this situation is just too much. No reasonable person can be expected to pay such a price.” Christians and institutional Christian Churches have filled libraries and pulpits for centuries trying to morally justify this “walk away” from Jesus’ “new commandment.” But, if the “new commandment” “contains the entire Law of the Gospel” and “express the Father’s entire will,” then to “walk away” from Jesus’ “new commandment” is to refuse to do the Father’s will. It is to say, to the Lord God, “My will be done not Yours.” “Non serviam.” “I will not serve that in which I no longer believe.” “I will not serve because I no longer believe.”
-Emmanuel Charles McCarthy
