XXX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
ONCE AGAIN, CHRIST ASKS US TO LOVE
By our Pastor, Fr. Carmelo Jiménez
Once again we find the theme of love and justice the readings for this Sunday. We could exclaim: Again! I am reminded of a story of the Apostle and Evangelist Saint John. Being the last of the apostles alive, he had many invitations, but in every place where they invited him he spoke of love, the new commandment of love. In one of the communities of Christians where he visited, when he arrived they asked him: “Master John, we are so happy that you’ve come to visit, but don’t talk to us anymore about the new commandment to love because we already know it!” And the Apostle asked them: “Are you practicing it? Because as long as it has not become a reality, then it is still new.”
The Gospel for this Sunday is very clear saying: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” How many times have we heard that and how many times have we repeated “I love God with all my heart.” Then comes the question: Do you love your neighbor as you love God? Loving our neighbor comes with many complications: They did that to me! They said that to me! I just don’t get along with them, I don’t know why, they didn’t do anything to me, but they just rub me the wrong way.
The first reading from the book of Exodus tells us: “You shall not molest or oppress an alien…you shall not wrong any widow or orphan…If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people you shall not act like an extortioner toward him…If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate.” It’s very easy to fall into injustices. Sometimes we don’t feel unjust because we see the major injustices that happen in the world, but it doesn’t matter the size of our injustices, they are just that. God invites us, if we believe in Him, to love our neighbor. It’s easy to tell God that we love him with all of our hearts, but what do we say with our actions? All of the law of God is summarized in LOVE, for God and for our neighbor. Therefore, the more we love our neighbor, the more authentic our love for God. God created us in his image and likeness and he wants us to be like Him in pure and true love. He wants love and only love to exist in each one of us.
Hatred, revenge, insults and injustices come from the devil. Love comes from God. Love is the only thing God asks of us, no more and no less. Love lived out in practice, in patience, in acceptance of others despite their differences. Love that unites race, peoples and cities. Love that inspires us to work for peace.
This Wednesday, Bishop Medley asked those that are in faith formation and all of us who gathered with him from around the Deanery: “to be better tomorrow.” I can make a difference. Don’t wait until others start living and giving love. Live love, give love, and you will see that our world will change. May God grant us the ability to reject every occasion of injustice and evil and grant us the ability to feel his love, so that we may love our neighbor and then our profession of love for Him will be authentic. Amen.