The Monday after Judica (Passion) Sunday
Posted on March 23, 2026 by under
Scripture: St. John 13:31-35 (NKJV)
13:31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Devotion
Jesus said that He gave us a new commandment, but was it really new? In the Old Testament, God had already commanded, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The commandment to love was not a new thing. Love is the fulfillment of the Law! The Law of love was already inscribed on human hearts and proclaimed in the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. The new thing in Jesus’ commandment is not the first part, “love one another,” but the second part, “as I have loved you.” Jesus was not commanding a different love, but a love which flows from a perfect focus. It is love which occurs in light of Jesus’ love.
Before faith in Christ, all attempts at love are futile. We cannot love the Lord our God. We cannot love our neighbor as ourselves. Our hearts are only sinful and selfish. If we “love” God, it is to try to earn favor with Him. If we “love” man, it is to get something back in return. But through faith in Christ, things are different. We do not need to earn God’s favor; Jesus won it for us when He died on the cross. We do not need something back from man; we have everything we need through Christ. We even have a new heart, worked by the Holy Spirit, which drives out our sinful desires and learns to love in righteousness. Our love is changed in light of Jesus’ love. Since He loved us and secured for us eternal life, we love others, not for ourselves, but out of thankfulness to God and a true desire to serve our neighbor.
Collect: We beseech Thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon Thy people, that by Thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
