Homilies & Reflections
30th Sunday In Ordinary Time , Year A by Fr. Lucas Binnah
First Reading: Exodus 22:21-27 / Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 18:2-3a.3bc-4.47.51ab (R.2) Second Reading: I Thessalonians 1:5c-10/Gospel Accl: John 14:23/Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40
Theme: LOVE IS THE LAW
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est (Where charity and love are, God is there)
If God is the fundamental object of religion, and God is love, then religion is all about love. Therefore, whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in them (cf. I Jn. 4:16). In this regard, religion becomes a spirituality of love – love of God and neighbour. The two run in tandem, and anywhere the love of God is expressed tangibly in acts of love to fellow human beings, there, we can concretely find the living God. To love is to show a sincere affection, care and concern to another for the sake of the other. It is about sacrifice. In today’s liturgy, we are introduced to the heart of religion and the core of spirituality, namely, practical love and charity. It is a life of love.
In view of the aforementioned, Jesus, in the Gospel, summarises the whole law of religion and its commandments, namely: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Mt. 22:37). According to Jesus, “This is the great and first commandment” (Mt. 22:38). As well, we observe that the Pharisaic Lawyer only asked Jesus “Which is the great commandment in the law” (Mt. 22:36). However, Jesus, as it were, hastened to add to the first: “And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets” (Mt. 22:39-40).
In effect, what Jesus did was to summarise the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) in two, with the first three referring to love of God and the remaining seven to love of neighbour (cf. Ex. 20:1-17; Deut. 5:6-21). He actually quoted the Shema (Jewish Creed, Deut. 6:5) for love of God and Lev. 19:18 for love of neighbour. Notice that ‘heart, soul and mind’ as used by Jesus, is the tripartite division of the complete human being, and therefore, refer to the whole human person. The Gospels of Mark and Luke even add ‘strength’ to this division (cf. Mk. 12:29, Lk. 10:27). This means that God deserves our total love, a love that involves all our being, all our thoughts and actions without exception. God is worthy of all we are and have. This takes utmost priority and precedence over all else, and then from it issues the love we must have for our fellow humans. So, how can we practically live in love? The first and second readings give us some examples.
In the first reading, we are cautioned against marginalising three categories of people: the widow, orphan and stranger: “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not afflict the widow or orphan. If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless” (Ex. 22:20-23). In the second reading, we realise how the Thessalonians practised genuine love. Upon hearing the word of God, and even under the threat of persecution, they still fell in love with God to the extent that they turned away from idol worship in order to serve the living and true God (cf. I Thess. 1:6, 9). For this, they became an example of love to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (I Thess. 1:7). Thus, love goes beyond rhetorics into actions.
We are told that anyone who loves his or her neighbour has fulfilled the law (cf. Rom 13:8; Gal. 5:14). Hence, love is the fulfilment of the whole law (cf. Rom. 13:10). Perpetually, we all owe one another love (cf. Rom. 13:8). Perhaps, if we think of love as something we all need and like, it becomes easier to engage all our efforts to make it a reality. If we are loving, we become lovable. Furthermore, love must be home-grown. When children grow in and with family love, the society experiences an air of love in all its facets. Perhaps, a little more patience with spouse, a little more obedience to parents and guardians, a little more respect to siblings, a little more kindness to the needy, a little more help to the aged, a little more attention to the sick and imprisoned, a little more supplies of food, water, clothing and medicine to the hungry, thirsty, starving, refugee, homeless and victims of natural disasters are all it takes to express active love.
Those who need our love are not far from us. They are with us. They live with us. They see us every day. They may not be able to ask us in word, but their existential conditions and situations do. The person next door, the colleague at work, our employers and fellow employees, our housemaids and servants, gate-keepers and watchmen, the gardener and messenger and professionals, those we see each day, the country on the other side of the border, these are our neighbours. They are the immediate objects of our love. We ought to love and cherish them. We may never know how important and valuable they are to us till we lose them. We ask God who is persona Love to inebriate us with genuine love for one another. Let us ponder on the lyrics of this
Catholic Hymnal:
- Beloved, let us love: love is of God,
In God alone is love, love’s true abode.
2. Beloved, let us love: for they who love,
They only, are his sons, born from above
3. Beloved, let us love: for love is peace,
And he who does not love remains unblessed
4. Beloved, let us love: in love is light,
And they who do not love, still dwell in night.
Dearly Beloved, with the Psalmist, let us pray and practise: “I love you, Lord, my strength” (Ps.18:2). Conscious of the love God has for us, let us extend a gaze of love to all around us. Let us put a smile on one another’s face. Happy Sunday and may this new week bring us and our neighbours loads of love! God richly bless us. Remember: #Love- Is-The-Law#
By Rev. Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior, C.S.Sp.