Dear Friends,
We begin a new month with one another and on this first weekend we hear a message in our sacred scriptures that is before us year round. The book of Deuteronomy proclaims from the mouth of Moses “you shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
Our Gospel from Mark echoes the same sentiment proclaimed by Jesus with the addition of “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus who was asked what is the first of all commandments answered with the two just mentioned. He said “There is no greater commandment than these.”
Reflecting on these commandments I read in one of my spiritual reflections the following, “In the words of this great commandment given to the Israelites, we hear the foundation of our life in Christ. We are to love the Lord with our entire being – with our heart, soul, and strength. While this may seem easy, it can be challenging to live. It requires us to reorient ourselves to be focused on the Lord, rather than the things of the world. When we are truly able to do this, we set aside all that separates us from God and all our actions are filled with love.
What might we need to set aside so that we may more fully love the Lord with our entire being?” In these times we live this reflection upon the weekends scriptures puts before each of us much to contemplate. What does it mean for us to “fully love the Lord with our entire being?” Are we actively engaged to Jesus’s command to “love our neighbor as ourselves?” As stated above, after reflecting on the scriptures, what might we need to set aside from ourselves to be more Christlike today?
I appreciate Nancy Johnstone and Karen Dehais who spoke at our masses last weekend addressing the Catholic Ministries Appeal. I also appreciate gratefully those who have so far joined me in making a pledge to support the CMA and “Extending Christ’s Mission.” If you haven’t made a pledge, I humbly ask you to consider doing so and support your parish and diocese.
Let us embrace peaceful blessings among one another,
Father Rob