December 2001

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Col. 3:14)

Here is a decisive Word for our life and our witness to the world.

To explain Christian behaviour, Paul often likes to give the example of clothing that Christ's disciples must put on. And here to, in the letter to the Colossians, he speaks about the virtues that need to be established in our hearts likening them to different garments. They are mercy, goodness, humility, meekness, patience, long-suffering and forgiveness.¹

But 'above all', he says, almost as though he were thinking of a belt that keeps everything together and gives the final touch to the outfit, 'clothe yourselves with love'.

Yes, love, because it is not enough for a Christian to be good, merciful, humble, meek, patient... Christians must have love for their brothers and sisters.

But, someone might ask, surely love itself means to be good, humble, merciful, patient and forgiving? Yes, it does, but that is not all. 

Jesus taught us what love is. It consists in giving your life for the others.²

Hatred takes life from others ('those who hate are murderers'³) . Love gives them life. Christians have love only if they die to themselves for others.

But if they have love, Paul says, they will be perfect and all their other virtues will reach perfection.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Of course, some of us might be well-disposed towards our brothers and sisters, forgiving them and putting up with them. But if we take a closer look, what we are often lacking is in fact love. Even with the holiest of intentions, human nature leads us to be selfish and the result is that we use half measures in loving our neighbours.

But if this is what we are like, we are not truly Christians.

We need to keep our heart in the greatest readiness. In front of every neighbour we meet during our day (in the family, at work, everywhere), we must say to ourselves; 'Go on, take courage, respond to God, it's time to love, with a love great enough to put your life at stake.'

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

So Paul's words invite us to take stock and see to what point our Christian life is animated by love which, being the bond of perfection, is the very thing that leads us to the highest unity with God and amongst us.

Let's thank the Lord, then, for having poured his love into our hearts, a love that makes us ever more able to listen and to enter into the problems and worries of our neighbours; to share bread, joys and sufferings; to dismantle certain barriers that still divide us; to put aside certain attitudes of pride, rivalry, envy or resentment for wrongs done; to overcome the terrible tendency to negative criticism; to come out of our selfish isolation so as to make ourselves available to those who are alone or in need; to build the unity Jesus wants everywhere.

This is the contribution that we Christians can give to world peace and to brotherhood among peoples, especially in the most tragic moments of history.

Chiara Lubich