Day 259: The New Commandment

The Law of the Gospel requires us to make the decisive choice between "the two ways" and to put into practice the words of the Lord. It is summed up in the Golden Rule, "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; this is the law and the prophets." The entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the "new commandment" of Jesus, to love one another as he has loved us. CCC 1970

Today's reading from the Catechism is very short, just four paragraphs on the New Commandment of Jesus (Jn 15:12). In the New Law, we keep this New Commandment not out of fear, but "because it makes us act out of the love infused by the Holy Spirit" (CCC 1972). The love of God and the love of neighbor are at the heart of the Gospel message, and as Christians, we are called to it. As St. Paul cautions us, if we have everything, including faith, but do not have love, we have gained nothing (1 Cor 13:1-3).

The Catechism Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this:

Jesus has loved us by pouring out his very life for us - saying yes to his Father so the Father could be glorified and so we could have new life... In the Great Commandment, we are called to love God with everything. We are called to love him as the core of everything we are and everything we have... In the New Law we have the fulfillment of entering into a relationship with God through the sacraments... We might not be called to the evangelical counsels - to poverty, chastity, and obedience - but we are all called to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. (p. 34)