Commandment: May We Remember The Greatest Commandment

“When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, ³⁵ and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶ “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” ³⁷ He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”-Matthew 34-40 NRSV

The Greatest Commandment

Today’s Gospel reading comes from the alternate readings for the memorial of St. Martin De Porres.  As I write this it is election day in the United States.  Things are contentious to say the least and emotions are running high.

Today Jesus gives us an important reminder.  Love God and love your neighbor.  The sum of these is the greatest commandment, and the fulfillment of the whole law are contained in these two things.

There are a number of exceptions, but it seems in our society we have dehumanized those with whom we disagree.  Politics is one of those subjects where discussion get heated rather quickly.  However we must not forget that we are Christians and are called to act in a certain way.

Love God

We are called to love God.  Loving God is much more than going to Mass on Sunday morning.  Loving God influences every aspect of our lives.  In exponentially changes us to a point where we act different than before.  We see things differently.

Does this mean we won’t get angry?  Not at all.  Even Jesus had righteous anger when he went into the Temple courts during holy week.  Loving God means that we never cease to see the dignity of humanity.  We can angry at the argument, but should never eliminate the humanity and wish ill will on those we disagree.  In Matthew 5:43-44 we are called to pray for our enemies.  Have we done that?

Love Your Neighbor

Do you hate abortion and euthanasia?  Me too and we should strive to eliminate them.  Do you hate them to the point where you hate and wish that politicians that support it be damned?  That is where we have to check ourselves.  At that point we are letting ourselves think of someone, not as a person, but as the object we hate.  They are two different things.  We must never dehumanize someone. That is not love.  Loving your neighbor doesn’t mean that we need to agree with everything they do.  We will dislike some people, and that is human.  We should pray for them, wish them well and health, and if they are in sin try to correct their path.

As we proceed through this election day may we pray for those with whom we disagree.  Never lose sight of the fact that the other side is also human, made in the image of God, and loved by their creator.  Hate the argument, agenda, but never the person.  Wish for all to come to the mercy of God and strive toward Heaven.

Saints Quotes

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor… Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.-St. Teresa of Calcutta

The things that we love tell us what we are.-St. Thomas Aquinas

What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. Has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.-St. Augustine of Hippo

We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love.”-Saint Vincent de Paul

The person who loves God cannot help loving every man as himself, even though he is grieved by the passions of those who are not yet purified. But when they amend their lives, his delight is indescribable and knows no bounds. A soul filled with thoughts of sensual desire and hatred is unpurified. If we detect any trace of hatred in our hearts against any man whatsoever for committing any fault, we are utterly estranged from love for God, since love for God absolutely precludes us from hating any man.-St. Maximos the Confessor