God.

You invite us to love one another.
Actually, it is less an invitation. It’s more like a command.

It’s really hard.

It’s not a command to love the whole world. You do that.
It’s not a command to love our enemies. That’s a different command.
This is a command to love each other.

You told Peter to love his brother James.
You told thoughtful Nathaniel to love loud Peter.
You told everyone to love John and James who were trying to get the best seats.

And then the circle expanded and You told them to love more people.

We confess.
We are really annoyed with one another.
The snoring.
The questions.
The opinions.
The personalities.

Instead of being known by our love, some of your people are being known by our pride and pickiness and pugnacity and noise.

And so I ask you, today, to help us love one another.
Help be loved by one another.
Remind us that we are loved by you.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

+++

A prayer mostly reflecting John 13.