The Christian meaning of life/Mutual love

After the washing of the feet and the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus gives a long private speech to his disciples contained in chapters 13,14,15,16,17 of the Gospel of John. In this speech Jesus is not addressing the people, the Pharisees, the scribes but specifically his disciples, therefore it is a speech that concerns those who adhere and will adhere to his teaching.

John 13-15 edit

 John 13:14
 “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”
 John 13:34-35
  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
   By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 
 John 14:21
  “ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
 John 15:4-7
 “ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
 John 15:10-12
 “ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. "
 John 15:17
 “This is my command: Love each other.”


Jesus specifically to his disciples and therefore to those who adhere to his teaching from a new commandment 3 times, different from "love your neighbor as yourself" which was already contained in the Old Testament (book of Leviticus) and whose meaning it is explained by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke with the parable of the Good Samaritan. This new commandment is "love one another, as I have loved you" therefore Jesus asks his disciples to be in communion of love, just as He is in communion of love with the Father. Being in communion of love between the disciples allows Jesus to manifest himself to them as we read in John 14:21 "I also will love him and will manifest myself to him". And being in communion with Jesus makes his disciples grafted into the vine and therefore capable of bearing fruit as we read in John 15:4-7. On this occasion, Jesus makes a concrete gesture to explain in what sense the disciples are called to love each other, that is, the washing of feet. In essence, mutual love between believers in Christ must go as far as taking care of what may seem reprehensible (washing someone's feet). The aim of a Christian's life is therefore to be in communion with God and with his brothers.