Readings: Ex. 22:21-27, Ps.18, 1Thess. 1:5-10, Matt. 22:34-40
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
WHY LOVING GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR ARE THE GREATEST PRIORITIES OF THE HUMAN PERSON
Due to the fragile and contingent nature of the human person, there are so many principles we need to embrace in order to ensure peaceful coexistence with one another and with our environment. These principles have a way of assuring us peace and success in whatever we do, but neglecting these principles will bring about grave consequences.
Hence, when we are faced with the realities of life, we want to know the principle that should be our first priority and the foundation of every other principle. In fact, we always desire to know what is required of us in this life.
This is partially the deposition of the Pharisees in our Gospel passage today, who, after they had exhausted all their energy trying to see how they could discredit the teachings of Jesus, who had just silenced the Sadducees, came together, and one of them asked Jesus a question concerning which commandment is the greatest.
In response Jesus reminded them of the 'Shema Israel', the prayer that they knew and recited from their earliest years from which they learned that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all the powers and the more noble faculties of the soul, the mind, the understanding, judgment, and will. Jesus then added that to love one’s neighbour is the second priority.
Here, Jesus gave us the fundamental principle that should guide human existence. He made it clear that loving God and our neighbours are the greatest priority of the human person. In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and loving our neighbour as ourselves is what is required of us.
This is the foundation of all the things we have to do. And Jesus set as a standard for all to see, not just by the love he was able to show to people, but by the depth of love which he showed by dying and rising for our salvation.
This principle of love, especially that of loving our neighbours, is what we have in our first reading, where we were told not to molest the stranger, for we all are strangers in the world. We must not be harsh with the widow, the orphan, the poor, the less privileged; if we do, they will surely cry out to God, and be sure he shall hear their cry; his anger will flare and he will surely visit the oppressors with the same sword with which they used against the poor, as we have seen in our country today.
Therefore, we are called to show love to our neighbours, especially the poor, the widow and the orphans. We are called not to embezzle public resources meant for the good and well-being of the poor. Rather we are called to learn from the early Christian community who embraced this principle of love in a very practical way as we have in our second reading today
Here, we heard St. Paul saying: you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the Gospel, despite the great opposition all round you.
Dear friends, love is the centre of all the teachings of Jesus, for love is a gift from God to humanity. It is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. True love is not hidden; it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experiences it. If we love God, then, we will see him in others and treat them justly and honourably. We will not hurt our neighbours but do our utmost best to live in peace with them.
The truth is that the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today, as most families exist by grace and not by love. The rate of corruption and greediness in this country is so appalling. People are never tired of acquiring and embezzling public funds for their own selfish gain and now they are coming back again to ask permission to continue with this ugly behaviour.
So there is no doubt, we need a radical transformation. A transformation that will bring about a new outfit that makes one a new person, with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things. And this is possible only when we understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of greediness; then we will be able to do things the right way.
For this country will be transformed only when the power of love and goodwill supersedes the love of power and then, justice and faithfulness become the habit of everyone of us in this country. How I wish we could invest our time and resources in ensuring love and unity in our dealings with one another. Believe me, we will not only be fulfilling the first and greatest commandments of God, but we will be building a happy country, a happy society and a happy family.
LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the world is full of distractions, evil and selfish people. Help us to build a family, society and the world that is governed by love, goodwill and integrity of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a lovely Sunday celebration.
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