Love one another

Jn 15:12-17 Jesus said to his disciples:“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.No one has greater love than this,to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.You are my friends if you do what I command you.I no longer call you slaves,because a slave does not know what his master is doing.I have called you friends,because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.It was not you who chose me, but I who chose youand appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.This I command you: love one another.”
There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friend. This reminds me of the times that I spent talking with US Veterans when I worked at several different locations as a nurse practitioner for the VA. Sometimes a person who was having a health visit with me would tell an amazing story of what they had lived through and how they had helped others. I would say that I really admired what they did and many times the person telling the story would say that the real heros were the people they personally knew who gave their lives during a war to save and help others. I have to say I do not know if I could do that...voluntarily go into a helping situation knowing that I was most likely giving up my life to save the lives of others. I also this morning think of the firemen and policement that knew the World Trade Center Buildings were so dangerous but the importance of helping others and saving the lives of others was their main leading force. I pray today, this morning for all who have given their lives to save and help others and their families. I pray that I may learn to be more giving and loving and unselfish in all that I do and am today.