30th Sunday
Ex 22:20-26; 1 Thes 1:5c-10; Mt 22:34-40
Coloring Our Relationships
There is a legend handed down from the early Church about John, the beloved disciple of Jesus. John spent the last years of his life in Ephesus. As he aged, his body and mind began to fail him, and his eyesight became very poor. Eventually, John’s mind deteriorated to the point that he could only speak five words, which he repeated over and over.
Every Lord’s Day—Sunday—John would be carried into the midst of the congregation gathered for worship. Then the old man would speak the words, “My children, love one another.” Over and over, he would repeat these words until he grew too tired to continue. The congregation listened to his famous five-word sermon week after week without ever becoming bored.
If you were to do an internet search on the word love, you would find thousands of sites. One would think that everyone knows about love and is talking about it. Love is the subject of countless films and popular songs, such as the Beatles’ All You Need Is Love. But what is the love we are talking about? Today, we are reminded that there is one love that is greatest of all—the love of God and neighbor.
Not to Be Separated: Out of admiration, a scribe once asked Jesus, “Which is the great commandment in the Law?” It was a good question because, in the Judaism of Jesus’ day, there was a tendency to expand the Mosaic Law into hundreds of rules and regulations. Scholars tried to condense the 613 precepts of the Torah into a single sentence or a few key principles.
Jesus’ answer was plain and simple: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment” (Dut 6:5). He then added, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18).
Jesus combined these two originally separate commandments and presented them as one single law—the essence of true religion. They are like two sides of the same coin. The uniqueness of Jesus’ response lies in giving equal value to both. We are to love our neighbor and ourselves as a way of loving God because every person is created in the image and likeness of God, and God dwells within each of us.
Some people are good at demonstrating their love for God, but not so good at showing love for their neighbor. We may go to church regularly and faithfully receive the sacraments, but if we are unfriendly or selfish toward others, our love for God has no meaning. Love is seen in our attitude and actions toward our neighbor. One’s love for God is measured by one’s love for neighbor; likewise, true love of neighbor reveals one’s love for God. These two cannot be separated—one cannot exist without the other.
Healthy Community: Jesus placed love of God and love of neighbor on equal footing, yet love of neighbor naturally flows from love of God (cf. CCC #2083, #2196). God must always come first, and our use of time, energy, and priorities reflects this. Love of neighbor is not about feelings but concrete actions that share God’s love. In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:29–37), Jesus shows that every person, regardless of race or background, is our neighbor.
True love shows respect for others—their dignity, relationships, and property—and begins at home before reaching outward to everyone, especially the poor, the sick, and the sinner. The Book of Exodus reminds us of our duty toward others, particularly widows, orphans, and strangers. God instructs the Israelites that, having known the pain of oppression and injustice in Egypt, they must never cause suffering to others. In the same way, we are called to act with compassion and fairness toward all. The true measure of a community’s strength and faithfulness lies in how it cares for its most vulnerable members.
The Divine in Them: In the second century AD, a non-Christian named Aristides wrote to Emperor Hadrian about the Christians. He said: “Christians love one another; they never fail to help widows and save orphans from those who would harm them. If one of them has something, he gives freely to those who have nothing. If they see a stranger, Christians take him home and treat him as a real brother.
They don’t consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers through the Spirit of God. If they hear that one of them is in jail or persecuted for professing the name of their Redeemer, they give him all he needs. This is really a new kind of person. There is something divine in them.” This testimony was an eye-opener for non-Christians of the time, who began to say, “See how those Christians love one another.”
One Life, One Love: As human beings, we tend to compartmentalize our lives—separating work, family, social activities, and religious practices into distinct boxes. But in reality, we live one life, and all is interconnected. Our faith should influence our daily existence, and our daily existence should, in turn, enrich our faith experience.
We cannot have a deep spiritual life without it affecting our relationships—at home, at work, and in our community. Love of God and love of neighbor are not two separate colors in life’s painting; together they create the vibrant and beautiful picture of Christian living.
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