Joshua Bennett
Loving like Jesus is a lofty goal, but one that is attainable for those who follow His teachings. Jesus loved with patience, forgiveness, humility, and grace. He commanded His followers to love one another sacrificially, unconditionally, and without discrimination. This means putting the needs of others before our own desires and treating every human being with dignity and respect. We can love like Jesus by becoming more mindful, approachable, graceful, bold, and self-giving. We can also love like Jesus by being honest and respectful, speaking the truth in love, and offering tangible acts of kindness. While we may never love perfectly like Jesus, we can strive to follow His example and let His love flow through us.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mindfulness | Less detached |
| Approachability | Less exclusive |
| Grace | Less judgmental |
| Boldness | Less fearful |
| Selflessness | Less self-absorbed |
| Patience | Forgiving |
| Humility | Grounded |
| Generosity | Undiscriminating |
| Honesty | Direct |
| Respect | Devotion |
| Understanding | Obedience |
| Selflessness | Sacrificial |
| Availability | Unconditional |
| Prayerfulness | Compassionate |
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What You'll Learn
Be mindful, approachable, graceful, bold, and self-giving
To love like Jesus is to embody certain qualities that allow us to transcend our human limitations and reach for a higher, heavenly ideal.
Be Mindful
Being mindful involves shedding self-interest and detaching from our own petty demands and snobbish entitlement. It is about loosening our anxiety and embracing a surplus of benevolence. Mindfulness, however, can be a contentious topic within Catholicism, as it is often associated with non-Christian philosophies and Buddhist beliefs. Some Catholics view mindfulness as a gateway to religious relativism, where all creeds are seen as equal. Thus, while mindfulness can be a tool for some, it may also be a potential pitfall for those wishing to remain strictly within Catholic doctrine.
Be Approachable
Being approachable means becoming less exclusive. It is about breaking down barriers and being open to others, including strangers. In the context of Catholic dating, being approachable can be challenging due to the potential for gossip and the selective nature of those seeking serious relationships. However, creating opportunities for friendship and closeness before dating can help alleviate some of these concerns.
Be Graceful
Grace is a central concept in Catholicism, with two distinct types: sanctifying grace and actual grace. Sanctifying grace dwells in the soul, giving it supernatural life, while actual grace acts on the soul from the outside, encouraging and pushing us towards sanctifying grace. To be graceful, like Jesus, is to be less judgmental and more accepting.
Be Bold
Boldness is a quality that allows us to stand up for our beliefs and spread God's message. It is a gift from God, empowering us to complete the tasks He has set before us. While boldness can sometimes be seen as pushiness, Christians may need to be bold to stand for Christ.
Be Self-Giving
Self-giving is a virtue that frees us from attachments and self-indulgence, allowing us to mirror God's goodness. It is a painful act of self-denial, as we let go of our self-centered attitudes and habits. Self-giving is an act of Christlike love, and it is through self-giving that we can achieve spiritual maturity and direct our capacity for love appropriately.
By embodying these qualities, we can strive to love like Jesus and follow His example of self-giving, graceful, bold, mindful, and approachable love.
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Love indiscriminately, without favouritism
Loving like Jesus means loving indiscriminately, without favouritism. Jesus himself loved indiscriminately, showing no partiality or prejudice. He loved the poor and the rich, the young and the old, the religious and the pagan, and even his enemies. He commanded his followers to do the same, to love everyone, regardless of their background, status, or beliefs.
This type of love is challenging because it requires us to let go of our self-interest, petty demands, and snobbish entitlement. It demands that we become more mindful, approachable, graceful, bold, and self-giving. We must rid our hearts of racial prejudice, socio-economic snobbery, and religious superiority.
To love like Jesus, we must see others as God sees them—as beloved creations made in His image, deserving of dignity and respect. We must be honest and respectful in our interactions, speaking the truth in love, and offering encouragement while also giving hard truths when necessary.
Loving like Jesus also means being willing to sacrifice and serve others, even when it is inconvenient or challenging. It involves putting the needs of others before our own desires, just as Jesus sacrificed his life for us. This kind of love is grounded in humility, patience, and grace, and it flows from a deep abiding in Christ and His Word.
Practically, this can look like offering acts of kindness, helping with tasks, sending thoughtful messages, or simply being available to listen and support others. It also means being willing to pray for and serve those who challenge us, and treating them with the same love and respect we would show to anyone else.
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Be truthful, but not accepting of sin
Loving like Jesus means we care enough about the souls of others to tell them the truth. However, this does not mean that we should accept sin, deception, or false followers. Jesus did not tolerate sin, but he loved people enough to be truthful with them. For example, Jesus was direct with the Pharisees, calling them "hypocrites" and "blind fools" (Matthew 23:13, 16). He also challenged the religious leaders, saying, "Not all who say to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Being truthful, therefore, is an important aspect of loving like Jesus. This does not mean that we should be unkind or insensitive, but rather that we should speak the truth in love. We must work to rid our hearts of prejudice, socio-economic snobbery, and religious superiority, treating every human being with dignity and respect, as they are created in the image of God (1 John 2:9–10; 4:20–21).
Loving like Jesus means we cannot be selective in how we treat people. We must be mindful, approachable, graceful, bold, and self-giving, rather than exclusive, judgmental, fearful, or self-absorbed. This can be challenging, especially when we encounter people who are doing something we disagree with or who have different beliefs. However, Jesus loved his enemies and expects his followers to do the same (Luke 6:35). He healed, fed, and ministered to many who would later cry, "Crucify Him!" (Matthew 27:20–22).
While it is important to be truthful, we must also recognize that there may be times when it is more prudent to remain silent or withhold certain information. St. Augustine, a prominent Catholic theologian, argued that lying is always morally wrong, and that it is better to remain silent or speak the truth, even in difficult situations. However, other theologians, such as St. Raymund of Pennafort, have suggested that it may be permissible to deceive an enemy or withhold information to protect someone in danger.
Ultimately, loving like Jesus means caring for others and wanting what is best for them, even if it means speaking difficult truths. We must strive to follow Jesus's example of loving unconditionally, without accepting or tolerating sin.
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Sacrifice and forgive
To love like Jesus is to love sacrificially and unconditionally. This kind of love is grounded in humility, patience, and grace. It is a love that goes beyond fleeting emotions and is not based on convenience.
Jesus demonstrated this sacrificial love through his actions. He poured himself into the lives of others, whether it was an individual like Zacchaeus or a large crowd that he fed. He invested in the lives of his disciples, mentoring them and sharing parables with them in private.
Loving like Jesus requires us to put the needs of others before our own desires. We must be willing to part with our money, time, and possessions to serve others. We should not be selective in how we treat people, showing love and respect to everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs.
Jesus loved with forgiveness, a strength that only God could provide. He loved even his enemies and those who betrayed him, such as Judas Iscariot. He washed Judas's feet, knowing that Judas would soon betray him.
To love like Jesus, we must be mindful of our own shortcomings and ask for His help. We can do this through prayer and Scripture, reflecting on God's forgiveness and grace, and asking Him to fill our hearts with His unconditional love. When conflicts arise, we can pause and pray for patience and understanding, allowing His Spirit to work within us.
By imitating Jesus' example, we can strive to love sacrificially and forgivingly, putting others first and showing compassion and respect to all.
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Show patience and humility
Jesus Christ is regarded as the Master of humility. He demonstrated moral perfection, and the foundation of this perfection is humility. He was selfless, and his love transcended barriers of resentment and betrayal. He loved indiscriminately, even loving and serving his enemies.
To love like Jesus, we must show patience and humility. We must be mindful of our own shortcomings and practice forgiveness. We must be patient with ourselves and others, as Jesus was patient with those who betrayed him. We must be humble and compassionate, and we must put others before ourselves. We must be bold and graceful, and we must be willing to serve others and meet their needs.
Humility opens the soul, and charity makes it generous. We must sacrifice our love of self to the love of God, and we must be open and giving. We must be mindful of our own faults and tolerate the faults of others. We must be willing to forgive and to serve.
Patience is a virtue that proceeds from recognizing our own unworthiness. We must be patient with ourselves and others, and we must be willing to forgive. We must remember that God has been infinitely patient with us. We must trust in God and follow His path. We must be obedient and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us.
To love like Jesus, we must be patient and humble. We must put aside our own interests and serve others with benevolence. We must be mindful, approachable, graceful, bold, and self-giving. We must be willing to forgive and to serve, and we must always put others before ourselves.
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Frequently asked questions
Loving like Jesus requires more than human effort. It is about letting Christ's love flow through us. We need to keep praying and reading His Word to learn more. We need to become more mindful, approachable, graceful, bold, and self-giving.
Jesus did not tolerate sin, deception, or false followers. He loved even his enemies and expects his followers to do the same. We must work to rid our hearts of racial prejudice, socio-economic snobbery, and religious superiority. We can love them by being kind, truthful, and praying for them.
Jesus said that love would be the distinguishing mark of His disciples. When we love well, people take notice and see a reflection of Christ.
