In today's Gospel, Jesus is questioned by the Jewish authorities as to what is the greatest commandment. He tells them that all the commandments can be summarized into two. Jesus gives the greatest commandment—to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind—and the second, to love your neighbor as yourself. These two commandments are connected: to love God is to love your neighbor; to love your neighbor is to love God. A life of loving our neighbor is a life of loving God.
In today's world we need to hear the message of Jesus and follow the command to love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. As I reflected on today's reading I was struck by the song from Godspell -- We Beseech Thee. In the refrain we are called to love --
Come sing about Love! That made us first to be Come sing about Love! That made the stone and tree Come sing about Love! That draws us lovingly We beseech thee, hear us!
May we always be called to love others as we love ourselves. May we always radiate Jesus' love for all people.
