Joke: Did you hear about the five-year-old boy who said to his mother, “Mommy, I love you and when I grow up I’m going to get u an electric iron, an electric stove, and an electric toaster and an electric chair.” (The boy did not know that the last 1 was used for electrocuting criminals).

Love. What is love? Is it simply the love that is expressed in couples only? Is it the love that is expressed in the family only? Is it the love that boyfriend and girlfriend often exchanged with each other only? Is it the love expressed in a friendship relationship only? Or is it the love that we have for anyone and anyone we meet daily? I don’t know what would you say about love, but what would Jesus say about love? He never gives us an electric chair, and if we have one, it’s because we brought it upon ourselves.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said to his disciples and each of us saying, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments… whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Love seems to follow what the lover expects. Whenever we love our lover, not only our lover loves us but also our lover’s parents love us as well, and our lover will open up himself or herself totally to let us know who he is or who she is. True love seems to hold back nothing but revealing everything to the lover, even though it might cost life to reveal true love.

A mother bird once set out to cross a windy sea with its three baby birds. The sea was so wide and the wind was so strong, the mother bird was forced to carry her young, one by one, in her strong claws. When she was halfway across with the first baby bird, the wind turned to a gale, and she said, “My child, look how I am struggling and risking my life on your behalf. When you are grown up, will you do as much for me and provide for my old age?” The first baby bird replied, “Only bring me to safety, and when you are old I shall do everything you ask of me.” Whereat the mother bird dropped her child into the sea and it drowned. Then the mother bird returned to shore, set forth with her second bird, asked the same question, and receiving the same answer, she drowned the second child. Finally, she set out with the third, and when she asked the same question, the third and last baby bird replied, “My dear mother it is true you are struggling mightily and risking your life on my behalf, and I shall be wrong not to repay you when you are old, but I cannot bind myself. This though I can promise: when I am grown up and have children of my own, I shall do as much for them as you have done for me.” Whereupon the mother bird said, “Well spoken, my child, and wisely; your life I will spare and I will carry you to shore in safety.” What we have done for our children, they will in turn do exactly for their children. If we neglect taking care of our children, they will neglect taking care of their children; if we abandon and abuse our children, they will abandon and abuse their children; if we don’t bring our children to Church because of work or whatever reason it is, they will not bring their children to Church either; if we don’t have time to teach our children, they will not have time to teach their children neither.

Jesus listened to God the Father and obeyed him till death, death on the Cross, and invites us to follow him to keep his commandments if we truly love him. Have you loved Jesus? If yes, you do, then follow his commandments. Have you ever loved your children? If you truly love your children, you will teach them to follow your commandments, your rules, and your restrictions. The decision is always yours.