He Loved Them to the End

The Main Idea of the Lecture

The lecture revolves around the love of the Lord Christ for His disciples, that special love expressed in Scripture: “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” It was not a passing emotion, but a practical love manifested in deeds, salvation, and continuous care.

Love to the End

“To the end” means a complete love to which nothing can be added, a love without limits or condition. He loved them as those whom He would entrust with spreading the faith and building the Church, because they are the pillars of the Church upon which the message of salvation would stand in the world.

Strengthening the Faith Before the Crucifixion

In the last week before the crucifixion, the Lord Christ was not occupied with His sufferings as much as He was concerned with strengthening His disciples. He performed great miracles such as raising Lazarus and healing the man born blind, cleansed the temple, and cursed the unfruitful fig tree, all in order to strengthen their faith so that it would not be shaken by the events of the cross.

Instituting the Eucharist and Washing the Feet

He gave them the mystery of the Eucharist so that they might abide in Him and receive inner strength to face the trial, and He washed their feet to teach them humility and purity. Then He sat with them in a long discourse to strengthen and comfort them, assuring them that their sorrow would turn into joy.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit and the Ongoing Presence

He reassured them that He would not leave them, but would send them the Holy Spirit who would abide in them, teach them, and remind them of all that He had said. He affirmed to them: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” declaring His continuous presence in their lives and ministry.

After the Resurrection and Ascension

His love did not stop at the cross, but He appeared to them after the resurrection, strengthened them, breathed into their faces, granted them the authority of the priesthood, and gave them the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the power of preaching. By the power from on high, the weak were transformed into strong, and the fearful into courageous witnesses.

Bearing Weaknesses and Transforming Them into Strength

He endured the weakness of His disciples just as He endured the ظلم of the wicked; He endured Peter’s denial, Thomas’s doubt, and the fear of the others, yet He did not reject them, but strengthened and restored them to power, until they were able to build the Church of God and spread the faith throughout the whole world.

The Spiritual Message

True divine love does not abandon a person in his weakness, but supports him, strengthens him, and grants him the grace of steadfastness. Thus the Lord Christ loved His disciples to the end, and by this love the Church was established and continues forever.

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