Sunday Reflections: THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

 THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

Ex 22:20-26; 1Thess 1:5e-10; Matt 22:34-40

image credit: Mangalore diocese 

 

Story:

There is an immortal poem written by Englishman Leigh Hunt about a man called Abou Ben Adhem. Abou Ben Adhem woke from his sleep one night and saw in his room an angel writing in a book of gold the names of those who love God. “And is mine one?” inquired Abou. “Nay, not so,” replied the angel. “I pray thee, then, said Abou, “Write me as one who loves his fellow men.” The following night the angel came again and displayed the names of those who love God and Abou Ben Adhem’s name topped the list. This poem makes the point that true love of God and true love of our fellow human beings are like two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist apart from the other.

Message:

The central message of today’s gospel is about the two great commandments of love given by God to His people and is summarized by Jesus. These two shall never be separated from each because it has the same quality, meaning and implication.

Actually, there are 613 commandments and of which 365 prohibitions and 248 other prescriptions. That is why the lawyer asked Jesus which of these 613 commandments is the greatest. Jesus summarizes these into two: Love your God which can be found in the book of Deuteronomy 6:5 and love your neighbour which can be found in the book of Leviticus 19:18 and 19:34.

Two examples of loving God in our neighbour: Mother Theresa of Calcutta, she expressed her love for God by serving the poorest of the poor and the most abandoned people in the society that she was in. Another one was Fr. Damien of Molokai, Hawaii. He expressed his love for God by caring the lepers of Molokai by which towards the end of his life, he became a leper himself.

Act:

Let us love our neighbours. 

(Please add your reflections and comments below)