Greater love has no one than this ...

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.

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Many look back to the day that Jesus was crucified and blame the Jews or the Romans for his death. These embrace the idea that the life of Christ was extinguished by godless men. Even so, here what Jesus says to his disciples about his life:

I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.

In like manner our lives are ours to lay down and Jesus challenges us to lay down our lives for our friends. I believe that our Lord tells us how this is done when he says:

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Greater love is demonstrated when we deny ourselves and lay down our lives for others in small and mundane sacrificial acts. To follow Jesus requires the same kind of love that He displayed on the cross when he forgave those who drove spikes into his body.

I need you Lord. Help me to love others the way that you love them.