One of the amazing things about the whole Christian story is that God is looking for friends. God is looking for people to love Him back. No greater love has the world ever known than what Jesus has done for us. He wants to bring us into that love and help us to participate in it. Jesus says in the Gospel that even the pagans love each other, but He wants us to love our enemies. “I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:44-45) That is supernatural love that takes the supernatural power and action of God in our life.

When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, . . . [and] your neighbor as yourself.” (Mk. 12:30-31) That’s a challenging command, and it is a command. Even in the theme today, No Greater Love from John chapter 15, Jesus says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (Jn. 15:12-14) We’re talking about a process of purification and growth in holiness.

One of the things I’ve been thinking about recently and marveling at is the command the Lord gives us to be holy. It goes back to Leviticus. Three different times in Leviticus the Lord says, “You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy.” Holiness isn’t just something for spiritual people or people who have a special vocation to be a priest or a nun. This is addressed to every single human being.

For us to become holy, something big must happen in our life. We know that the Lord doesn’t command what he doesn’t give us the grace to fulfill. Even though we don’t necessarily see clearly how we can get to that point of being holy like the Lord, that’s exactly what he’s doing in our life right now.

The command to be holy isn’t just an Old Testament command. The appropriateness of taking off our shoes before the holiness of God remains today. One of the things that’s most missing in the world and the Church today is an appropriate fear of the Lord, an appropriate recognition of how far beyond us is the holiness of God, how far beyond us is his goodness, power, and truth.

This holiness is what saves us and what brings us into relationship with Him. You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect. This salvation that Jesus paid such a price for isn’t imposed on anyone. It has to be received. We must have faith in Jesus. We must become one with Jesus through baptism and be joined to Jesus’ Body and Spirit. The only ones who are going to be in heaven are those who have taken a hold of Jesus and are raised with Him from the dead. There’s a choice to be made, and because people aren’t clear that there’s a choice to be made and that salvation isn’t automatically applied to everybody, there is a lack of urgency in evangelization. We must speak to souls about salvation while there’s still time.