Thirty-first Sunday in OT ‘B’

The main message of today's readings is a core belief found in all religions, especially Christianity: We are created to love God by loving others and to love others by loving God. In simple terms, this means loving God Who lives in everyone around us. All our prayers, Bible readings, sacraments, sacrifices, and other religious practices are meant to help us grow in this relationship of love, which God initiates, and we accept by His grace.

In the First Reading, Moses explains the Law to the Israelites after returning from Mount Sinai. He emphasizes that following the Law will bring them dignity, purpose, and a unique place in history. Moses reminds us that loving God means keeping His commandments and that blessings await those who do so.

The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 18) reminds us that God is our strength and protector and that He is always with us.

The Second Reading talks about how Jesus, our eternal high priest, sacrificed Himself on the cross to show God's love for us. Paul tells us that Jesus is superior to the old high priests because He is sinless and lives forever. Unlike the Jewish priests who needed to be replaced over time, Jesus is appointed by the word of God, making His priesthood everlasting.

In today’s Gospel, a Scribe asks Jesus to sum up the most important of the Mosaic Laws in one sentence. Jesus responds with the first line of the Jewish Shema prayer: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is Lord alone. You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, and strength" (Deut 6:4). He then adds, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev 19:18). Jesus teaches that true religion means loving God and loving our fellow human beings at the same time. This means that showing real love for God is demonstrated through genuine, active love for our neighbors.

So, how do we love God? We keep His commandments, offer daily prayers of thanksgiving, praise, and petition. We also read and meditate on His word in the Bible and participate in Mass and other religious activities. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength might mean putting His will ahead of our own desires and saying no to some things we might want to do. It involves making God's will the most important thing in our lives.

Loving our neighbor means helping, supporting, encouraging, forgiving, and praying for everyone, without discrimination based on color, race, gender, age, wealth, or social status. Loving our neighbor can be challenging and may require us to seek forgiveness even when we feel we haven't done anything wrong, sacrificing something we want to help someone else, or dedicating time to prayer and service. It's about reaching out to others in the name of the Lord.

By embracing these principles, we can create a world where love for God and love for others are at the heart of everything we do.