Mother Suzanne reflects on Jesus's new commandment from John 13, where after washing his disciples' feet, Jesus commands them to love one another as he has loved them—through radical, self-giving service. She illustrates this through a powerful story about a formerly incarcerated man named Ryan, who revealed that Grace Church is frequently discussed with gratitude among inmates because of how the congregation loves and serves "the least of these," embodying Jesus's command that the world will know we are His disciples by our love.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                                                           John 13:31-35

At the last supper, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." 

Artwork: Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet, by Ford Madox Brown (1821–1893)