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By Our Love
April 6, 2025
The Reverend James C. Knudson
Isaiah 43: 16-21 | Philippians 3: 4b-14 | John 12:1-8 | Psalm 126
Almighty God, … Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord …
To these words from today’s Collect, I would respectfully add uncertain and confusing. This also seems to me an apt Collect for these times in which we live.
For many Christians the question of what it means to be a Christian, particularly an American Christian, is challenging our fundamental beliefs as well as the principle of religious liberty originally conceived by our Rhode Island forebearer, Roger Williams. These concerns and issues remind me of the story about how Jesus handled that trick question from the chief priests regarding the legality of paying taxes to Rome. He simply took a Roman coin and asked them whose image was on it. When they answered “Ceasar’s”, Jesus went on to say … “Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”.
Well, for more than two millennia, hence, as is the case with many of Jesus’ metaphors and parables, there have been numerous interpretations and disputes as to what He really meant. But where does this leave me in my time and place?
I suppose I could seek to come up with a “these folk are right, and those guys are wrong” opinion … a judgement … if you will. But, as I recall, God has also said something about who gets to do the judging. Nope, that judging thing is nowhere to be found in my Christian job description. So now what?
A supervisor once taught me about the difference between judgement and assessment. She said that if I am honestly objective in assessing what is going on and that it is based on valid information and careful and empathic observation, then I will be able to serve my clients and patients in the most helpful and non-judgmental way. But where are the standards (or as we say now, the metrics) by which I might make such an assessment of Christians living in America today?
The answer is remarkably easy to find. Jesus said it.
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another”
– (John 13:35)
While writing this reflection, the words of a song, They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love, kept running through my mind. It was written by a Catholic Priest, Peter Raymond Scholtes, and published in the Hymnal for Young Christians (1966). Whenever I sing or hum it or tap my toes to its driving rhythm, I believe my soul experiences it as the lyric cousin of The Battle Hymn of the Republic. These are the lines that move me to tears every time.
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
They are also the words that helped me understand more clearly what my first Spiritual Guide, The Reverend Jim Knudson, explained to me back then. That is, that the love of which Christ speaks is not a Hallmark sentiment. It is a Verb! And, I’m guessing that as Jesus is assessing me about how I’m doing these days as a disciple, he is listening to the language of my behavior, and not of my words.
Mike Cerullo
