*LOVE GOD LIVING IN OTHERS* (Deut. 6:2-6; Heb. 7:23-28; Mark 12:28-34)
By REV. FR. PAUL ANIGBORO
Love seems to be the central point of our reflection today. We are invited to embrace God's love by loving God in our neighbours. In the first reading, Moses explained the law to the people of Israel, by telling them that they must love God with their whole heart and life.
In the second reading, from the letter to the Hebrews, Jesus showed the depth of his love for us by dying once and for all for sins. The gospel tells us to reciprocate the love God has for us by loving God and having a sincere love for our neighbour.
The “great commandment in the Law” is really threefold: We are commanded (1) to love God, (2) to love our neighbor, and (3) to love ourselves. We are to love God, for it is in loving Him that we are brought to the perfection of His image in us. We are to love our neighbor and ourselves as well, because both of us bear God’s image, and to honor God’s image is to honor Him who made it.
How should we love God? He is the supreme being and the owner of our lives. There is no way we can love God the same way he loves us back because of our human frailties, there are certain things we can do. To love God, we need to, (1) Keep his commandments. (2) Pray in ceasing and out of ceasing. (3) Read and meditate on his word. (4) Carry out deeds of charity to those in need.
How can we love our neighbour? Our neighbour are not only those who do good to us. The strangers, widow and orphans are all in the broad view of our neighbour. Our neighbour includes those who pay us back with evil. Thus to love our neighbour effectively we must be ready to (1) Bear wrongs patiently. (2) Forgive hurts and do not keep malice. (3) Support and encourage one another. (4) Pray for your neighbour.
How do I love myself? By loving God and my neighbour, I will be doing a great good for myself because I will be fulfilling God's command. Let us remember always that acts of love are far more important than spending hours praying for our needs. Our actions speak more for us than our words of prayer. On the last day, we will not be judge by how many hours we spent in the church praying but by the work of love we carry out. Let us learn to live in love of God and others. We are not made for ourselves but for others. Let your live be a blessing for others and a source of encouragement.
Lord, help me to love you as I ought to and grant me the grace to love my neighbour as myself. Amen.
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