THE WORD
Ez 37,1-14 / Mt 22,34-40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them (a scholar of the law) tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
IN OTHER WORDS
The greatest commandment as stated in today’s Gospel would seem at rst glance a commandment we can easily say and do. To love God with ALL heart, soul, and mind implies a commitment to spend all your life for God. It is an ideal that most of us can only do part of the time. We are often distracted and tempted by many things and often fail. Perhaps even the most saintly among us cannot say that they can declare 100% compliance to this directive. I am reminded of the archer who wanted to hit a lofty goal but could not. But at least by aiming high, his arrow would land at a high point. In the same way when we keep this commandment as our goal, we can also reach the heights of glory. I think that the second greatest commandment – love of neighbor, enables us to fulfill in a way, the greatest commandment. Our declaration of love for and faith in God becomes credible and visible only when we do concrete actions of good towards our brothers and sisters.
God becomes visible in our neighbors in every one, especially the poor and less privileged. And although we may not be perfect, we pray that our eff orts may become pleasing to God. Some of us join the religious life as priests, brothers, and nuns so we could give more time to ful lling these commandments. Those who are married or remain single, can also nd time and diff erent methods of loving God through our neighbor. Loving one’s family may be suffi cient for most. To go beyond would be a challenge, but something admirable - showing that one can forget himself and follow the example of our Lord.
- Fr. Gil Alejandria, SVD | CTManila
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
