And that kind of Love makes us different. The unbelieving world will sit up and take notice, just as the pagan Roman world couldn’t help but notice how the first believers cared for one another. They said with amazement, "See how they love one another!"
The first century pagans weren’t attracted to the Church by an impressive system of doctrine, or glorious liturgies and music, or magnificent buildings. What was most attractive about Christians was their selfless, sacrificing love for each other – a love which obviously was grounded in their love for the Lord Jesus Christ. The world saw the love of Christ through the love of Christians. That's what drew them to the Church.
In the book of the Revelation of St. John the Divine, the Apostle writes what the Risen Christ says about the various churches. When he gets to the Church at Ephesus, he highly commends its doctrinal purity, its discernment, its ability to weed out false prophets, and its hatred of heresy. But there was one thing the Lord had against the Christians in Ephesus. They had forsaken the Christian love which they once had.
It’s possible to have the purest doctrine, the most dynamic preaching and teaching, the most beautiful music and liturgy, the most ambitious program of mission and outreach, the most gorgeous facilities – but if we don’t have love for one another, it will all be, as St. Paul says, "like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."
If Christians sometimes seem to have little impact in today's world it's not for lack of words or books or advertising or communication. It's for lack of love. Without genuine Christian love for one another, no one will know that we are disciples of Jesus Christ, no matter what we say we believe.
Love makes faith visible.