The love which Jesus speaks about is quite obviously not a mere human emotional love, even though emotion may be a part of the experience. Several points in what Jesus says reveal the true nature of this love. First of all, we are to live in his love. Love is to be the purpose, the motivation, the energy, the ambient of our life in its totality, the world in which we live through faith. It is a love which demands fidelity even when our emotions fail us or betray us.

Secondly, we will show our love in a real way by keeping Jesus' commandments, by living according to his truth. Going beyond the Old Testament, he calls us to a love which draws us to greater levels of fidelity, even in certain circumstances to the heroism of laying down our lives for him.

Thirdly, living according to this love will bring us joy - not a superficial emotional joy, but rather that joy which is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22) and is intimately associated with love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, self-control.