彼此相愛是我們宗教最深層的獨特之處。

對我們而言，彼此相愛並非眾多誡律中的一條，而是我們靈性生活的關鍵。耶穌稱之為「祂自己的」誡命，也是我們被認定為耶穌門徒的記號。

若望將彼此相愛與認識天主連結。

我們可以透過兩條路認識那不可見的天主。

第一條路是耶穌對天父的認識，並與我們所分享的。

第二條路是遵行祂的誡命：「從來沒有人見過天主，我們若彼此相愛，天主就住在我們內（中間），祂的愛在我們內（中間）得以完全。」

我們需要像耶穌愛我們一樣彼此相愛。

祂與我們分享祂的生命，祂與天父的關係（聖神）。

我們也可以這樣做；並非出於其他任何目的，而是為了接近天主，祂就是所有目的目的。

Reciprocal love is distinctive of our religion, in the deepest sense.

For us, reciprocal love is not a commandment among others. It is the key to our spiritual life. Jesus calls it “His” commandment, the feature by which we are recognized as Jesus’ disciples.

John links reciprocal love to the experience of God. Two are the ways by which we can see the invisible God. The first is the knowledge Jesus has of the Father and shares with us. The second is the fulfilment of his command: “No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in (among) us and his love is perfected in (among) us.”

We need to love each other as Jesus loved and loves us. He shares with us His Life, His relationship with the Father (the Holy Spirit). We too can do the same; not in view of any other purpose, but to reach God, the purpose of the purposes.