Exodus 22:20-26
1Thessalonians 1:5-10
Mathew 22:34-40
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My dear brothers and
sisters in Christ, welcome to this reflection on the readings of the 30th
Sunday of ordinary time. We may be aware
that from the beginning of human history, salvation was preserved for only
God’s chosen people of Israel. However, when Jesus came, the salvation was
extended from the Jews to the Gentiles, thus the whole humanity. This plan of salvation was not by chance, but
it was well planned by God. This plan is none other than the love of God to
humanity. This can be considered the central point of the readings of today as
we celebrate the 30th Sunday of ordinary time in Year A.
It is good that this
message of God has come to remind us of what we are supposed to do. This
message is very important especially at this time when we are experiencing
wars, inequality, discrimination, individualism, oppression, human trafficking,
not paying salaries to workers and even abortion, among other vices. All these
are against God’s plan towards humanity. It generally affects man-God
relationship, and man-man relationship. If we try to live what is stipulated in
the first reading (Ex 22: 20-26) peace and love will prevail. That’s why Jesus
perfects the law with his two commandments (Matt 22:36-39).
The emphasis of loving
God and our neighbor is in a way put in the second reading (1 Thes 1:5C-10).
Here Paul is praising the Thessalonians for having faith in Christ. Having
faith in Christ leads us to the love of God and our neighbor. This is because
it is out of God’s love to humanity that Christ was offered freely for us as a
gift. He was ready to die for all humanity. The love showed to us should make
us to go away from idol worship and remain faithful to our only God as we live
the first commandment of God (cf. Ex 20:3-6). Love of neighbor should not end
at emotional level but self-sacrifice for another. You give yourself freely for the good of
others. We need to keep in mind that the neighbor is not only our friends but
also our enemies as well as the marginalized. We are called to help everyone we
meet.
Having faith in God and
loving him leads us to extend the same love to others. This directs us to the
Gospel of today, Matthew 22:34-40. I believe that it is not the first time to
hear this part of the Gospel but still we find difficulty to live as brothers
and sisters. We forget that all of us have the same origin and destination. It
becomes more interesting that all of us are created with same image of God (cf.
Gen 1:26). It is an invitation for us to check where we do go wrong concerning
one another.
By internalizing the readings of today, we need not think of ourselves and forgetting others. We are children of God. No one is better than the other in front of our loving, merciful and kind Father in heaven. Thus, no Jews, no Gentiles but all people are called to live in brotherhood and sisterhood as we share the heavenly kingdom. It is by living the commandments of God and other regulations established by the Church that we find ourselves fulfilling the love of God and our neighbour. Now we need to open our hearts and minds in order for the words of God’s Son to transform our way of life. To make it easy, do not do to your neighbor what you yourself hate. This is the summary of the whole law (cf. Mt 7:12). Jesus’ summary of the law consists of two commandments that encourage love of God (Deut 6:5) and love of neighbor (cf. Lev 19:18). These two commandments are the threads on which the entire law hangs. Let us help each other as we bring everyone closer to Christ.
IV Year Theology
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