Mark 12:28-34 Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

The Jesuits instilled in several of us a priority ladder:

God first, Others second, Ourselves last.

Jesus gives us a clear image of what it means to put God first in our lives: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

It means that what we do we should remember that we are a people of God.  Many of us are faced with temptations at work, small white lies that we may give to family or friends.  Putting God first in our lives means to walk with justice, integrity, and honesty.  In other words, to try to live a holy life, to be that modern saint that wears sneakers and use the cell phone.  We are all called to be holy. It is possible.  Humans are not perfect, we are just called to try.  We are just reciprocating that love God shows us.

What is it to love our neighbors as ourselves?  Again, Jesus give us an idea: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 

In loving our neighbor we are serving each other in need out of love and mercy. We are helping each other to try to live holy lives.  We are encouraging when others loose faith or go through periods of loneliness.  We are God's hand, his heart, his voice to each other.  We are animated by God to be so. Each person is a member of the human family to be treated with dignity, love and compassion.  Collectively we are second only to God.   We are put collectively second.

In loving others, we honor ourselves as an anointed child of God, allowing ourselves to be the holy vessels of God's love to others the way Christ taught us.  There are many who think lowly of themselves, we all do from time to time.  How important it is to remember to love ourselves, to see ourselves the way that God sees us.  Each person is precious in his eyes. 

In the first reading today the prophet Hosea alludes to the coming of the Messiah and the everlasting life in him. This is a beautiful line reminding us of what can happen when we allow God's will to permeate our own. (The verdant cypress represents everlasting life.): (Hos 14:9)

“I am like a verdant cypress tree”–

Because of me you bear fruit!

Reflection Mt 25: 31-46 The Face of God Is in Our Brother

“You shall not bear hatred in your heart for your brother.” The Lord commands through Moses.  How many times have we each felt someone’s wrath, annoyance toward us, or just that look that left us crushed?  When we acknowledge how we feel, then suddenly we know it is wrong to hate others.  Perhaps our anger will melt into compassion and understanding especially when we recall in today’s Gospel that Jesus reminds us that he is those people that we help, that we give encouragement; he is within the hungry, the thirsty and the poor.  Mother Theresa called this Jesus’ “distressing disguise of the poor” when he appeared to her in the form of those who needed help. 

Christ is in each of us.  Do you recall Jesus told us that he would send us the Paraclete to help us discern what we must do to continue on the Way?  Jesus also told us “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15) And what was his command?  “Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you should love one another.” (Jn 13:34)  Isn’t that what Jesus is reiterating today when he tells us, “I was hungry and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me,” explaining that whenever the disciples or we ‘do it for the least brothers of mine, you did it for me.” (Mt 25:35-36, 40)  Let us be certain that when we give, we give to Christ and for Christ in whatever form we meet him with charitable hearts that preserves the dignity of our brethren for our love of God.  Amen.