Love your neighbour as yourself

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you. A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more, because a servant does not know his master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. You did not choose me: no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name. What I command you is to love one another.’ (John 15, 9-17)

The sacrifice of life is the highest and most convincing expression of love. Saint Gianna Beretta Molla used to say: "If loving does not cost us anything, it means that we do not really love". She sacrificed her life, refusing treatment for her cancer to make sure the baby she was carrying wasn’t harmed. So this mother imitated Jesus who gave His life for us. There is no greater love than this. Are you willing to love your neighbor as yourself?