THURSDAY JUNE 6, 2024
THURSDAY OF THE NINETH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
ST NORBERT, BP (Opt. Mem.)
2 Timothy 2:8- 15
Mark 12:28-34
THE GREATEST AND MOST IMPORTANT OBLIGATION OF MAN ON EARTH.
The most important and greatest obligation of man in his journey on earth is put today by Jesus as love of God and love of neighbour. One goes before the other. And you cannot accomplish one without the other. Love of God must necessarily go before love of neighbour yet there are intertwined. One cannot claim to love God without love of neighbour.
On these two commandments is the fate of man’s goodness and justification. It is in these that man pleases and worships God. And these commandments earns man the salvation of being good on earth and living with God in heaven.
Recall that this is one of the exceptional circumstances that the scribes agreed greatly with Jesus Christ. And this scribe acknowledges this and agrees with Jesus in this doctrine. Here the concord between Jesus and the Old Testament represented by the scribes agrees very dearly. It shows the importance and necessity of this law of love for all.
Our worship of God, our different churches, denominations and sects we belong is to preach, imbibe and help us to practice this command of love. Love towards God and love for our neighbours.
The quality of this love is well specified by Jesus. And it is devoid of anything that appears selfish as we find in the case of lust, or using other to gratify ones urge and emotions.
It is this purity of intention, subjection of our desires to the purpose of pleasing our God and working in his divine ways and purpose that love of God and neighbour should always tilt towards.
We must acknowledge the fact that people express love for many reasons. Expression of Love can flow from inordinate reasons like pride, personal ego boasting, reward oriented, personal gain, seeking self gratifications and others. These are inordinate ways of expressing love.
And no one can adequately read these intentions of the hearts unless they begin to manifest in life. Meaning that manifestation of love towards others can be deceptive. There is a thin line or hidden agenda when sometimes some laudable acts of love are expressed. But only the person showing the acts of love and God precisely knows where this act of love is flowing from. Bystanders may be at loss at this point.
The readings of today urges us to recognize and judge for ourselves our intentions for showing love to others. We are taught to understand that until it flows from the love of God himself and service of the name of God, that expression of love may just be futile, useless and of no value.
To fulfill the mandate to love as God designed it, we must have a single minded purposes. The love of neighbour must necessarily flow from the love of God. And this love must be qualified to be pure and selfless, “all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” It must never be allowed to have any other motive beyond and above the goodness and love of God alone.
In loving Neighbour therefore, our love must be sincere, faithful, unalloyed and generous without counting the cost. This is when it becomes true love.
God our Father, you loved us unconditionally and died for us even when we were sinners. Help us to grow and persevere in our love of you and our neighbors. Grant that our love of you and others may be pure, selfless, unconditional and flowing directed from our deep love of you our God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
St Norbert, pray for us.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
