As we reflect on today's gospel, we are called to live out three kinds of love: Love for God, love for neighbors, and love for ourselves. These three kinds of love are interrelated and can't be separated.
One of the scribes asked Jesus, "Which is the first of all commandments?" Jesus answered him: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." My question for this reflection is, “How do you love God? “
In Genesis 1 26, God said, "Let us make man in our image and likeness." Humankind was created in the image and likeness of God. In order to love God, we need to love and care for our neighbors whom we can see physically. One of the best parables of Jesus that can guide us on how to love and care for our neighbors is the story about the good Samaritan. Loving and caring for our neighbors means caring for people who are in need, whether physical or spiritual, especially the sick and the abandoned. Knowing the Ten Commandments is not enough to inherit the kingdom of heaven; we also need to live them out. This should be shown in the way we love God and our neighbors. Loving and caring for our neighbors reflects the love for God in our lives, and that love should be concrete.
Furthermore, the love for ourselves is also the love for God. Why? Because we were created in the image and likeness of God. We need to care for ourselves. Unfortunately, some people don't care for their lives; others are not even satisfied with their physical appearance. We must remember that, in the Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, it is written, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies (1 Cor 6:19-20). How much do we care for ourselves? Nowadays, many diseases come from the food we eat. Despite this, many people still continue to eat all that is tasty in their mouths and ignore their physical health. In terms of spiritual life, many people abandon their religions and beliefs because they don't recognize its importance. As Christians, we are encouraged to nurture our lives by loving God, our neighbors, and ourselves.
As we meditate upon today's gospel, we are invited to love God and our neighbors. We can't love God if we don’t love our neighbors and vice versa. In living this two-fold love, we are also called to love ourselves in a selfless way. As Christians, it is not enough for us to know the greatest commandment of God if we don’t put it into practice. May the Lord grant us his grace so that we may be able to love, even when it requires suffering. Happy Sunday
