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Gospel Reading for August 23, 2024 – Matthew 22: 34-40
LEVEL UP
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him,“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
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Just one word summarizes the Law of God: LOVE. It is estimated that more than 100 million love songs from all over the world have been recorded. The question is: How much have these songs influenced people’s lives? More often than not, Love, as mentioned in songs are more of the romantic love, except of course religious songs or songs dedicated to God. The secular songs are more of an expression of what the one loving feels about the one loved, and mostly refer to a pair. Although it is not really wrong that there is romance in such relationships, it is good to take note that for most people, romance tapers as the relationship is prolonged. In marriage, the longest romance can be maintained is said to be 3 years (although there are exceptions, albeit a few). But, if the pair truly love each other, tapering of romance will not affect their love, and may even LEVEL UP. Trust and confidence in one another, Respect, Loyalty, Understanding, Caring, Patience, Kindness, and all the attributes of love (1 Corinthians 12: 31-13: 8a) may start to grow into maturity when romance has tapered off, and not the other way around.
If we love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, it will be easier to do his will in the midst of challenges. If we love our neighbor as we love ourself, we will indeed love well, no matter who it is. As the song goes, “Love Makes the World Go Round.” Can we imagine a world without love?
Thank you Jesus!
