30th Sunday of the Year (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

October 26, 2014
Liturgical readings
Exodus 22:20-25
Psalm 18
1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10
Matthew 22:34-40

"The second is like the first: love your neighbor as yourself."

What Christ presented to His people is not totally different from what they had always known. His Jewish audience knew well all their religious laws. But the legalities of their faith were so numerous that Jewish people found it difficult to obey them in entirety. So Christ simplifies it for them - lessening the burden which the Law places upon each Jewish man's shoulder. With just two commandments, Christ summed up the spirit of the Law and all the teachings of the prophets. The two commandments from which He concisely expressed all the legal stipulations of their Jewish faith are stated in His command: "Love God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself."

These two commandments written in the gospel of Matthew resound throughout all the centuries of the Christian faith. How did the faithful in history respond to these two commandments of the Lord? Fast-forward to the 17th to the 18th century in France, to a bishop in Geneva named St. Francis de Sales. St. Francis de Sales expressed this counsel for all Catholics of all walks of life. Because of what he wrote, he is fondly called the "Doctor of the love of God and neighbor". In his book, "Introduction to the Devout Life", loving God means a strong resolve to follow His commandments, counsels, and inspirations. The first step to love is to purge oneself from sin. Then counsels the practice of prayer and reception of the Sacraments. One has to resist also all temptations to sin. Following the counsel of St. Francis de Sales will put to right your relationship with God, with others and yourself.

The Christian message of love up to the present time has remained the same. Whether the commandment to love is expressed in contemplative life, an active life, or both, God remains the absolute source and end of that love. If He is not the source of love, then love may be misguided or tainted with sin. That is why God gives all the means to His love in order that the faithful may follow the twofold counsel of His Son Jesus. Prayer opens one's being to His love, while the Sacraments make each soul ready to receive it. Both means strengthen one's resolve to do good and to practice virtue. It may not be always easy to follow the commandment of the Lord. That is why all the faithful are called to source their energy and efforts not from their own strengths and intelligence alone, but from the Christ Himself present in the Sacraments.

Scripture quote:
"If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people, you shall not act like an extortioner toward him." (Exodus 22)