This Sunday, we read from Mark chapter 12.  Jesus gives us the Great Commandment.  To read this week’s readings, click here.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

 

In this passage (Mark 29-31), Jesus is beautifully quoting two old testament scriptures, Deuteronomy 6:5, and Leviticus 19:18. This passage in Mark has a parallel passage in Matthew, where we find that the scribe Mark mentioned was one of the Pharisees trying to catch Jesus in a theological trap, after Jesus had a “mic drop” moment with the Sadducees in Mark 12:18-27. So, out of the malice of Jesus’s enemies, we have received the beautiful Great Commandment.

 

How Can We Love God?

How can we love God so much? When we consider all the blessings and wonders of the world around us, we can easily love God in those moments.  We can see the blessings of God, and we feel loved.  However, our lives are often beset in difficulty and trial.  In those moments, loving God can be more difficult.  However, when you look at family relationships, you can see that love is as much a decision as it is an emotion.  There are days when we are upset with our family members, but we still love them. What do we do if we are mad at God? Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger.”  God is a big God, He can handle our anger.  We work through it, so we do not fall into sin. In deciding to love, we commit to the relationship with God and work through it.  Spend time in prayer before the blessed Sacrament.  In times of deeper trouble, we can seek advice from a priest or spiritual director.  You can confidentially use our contact form at mphwa.org (it is on the bottom of every page) to reach out if you need help.

 

Now, we need to love our neighbor as ourselves.  There are many opportunities at MPH, through our pastoral ministry and through our human concerns committee, to volunteer our time and treasure in helping our neighbors in need. The Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season is coming, and while many families are looking to gather together, many seniors find themselves alone, due to family members passing away ahead of them.  In the coming weeks, keep an eye out here and on our socials for opportunities to help.

 

While we are loving our neighbor through the many opportunities here at MPH, remember to love yourself.  Make sure your medical appointments are up to date.  Take a day and walk through a park and enjoy God’s nature.  Sign up for a retreat or take a spa day.  Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).  Self-care is biblical.  Who knew?

 

For more reading, Check out Saint John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.