THURSDAY, NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
2 Tm 2: 8-15; Ps 25: 4-5, 8-10, 14; Mk 12: 28-34
PERFECTION OF LOVE
Saint Teresa of Avila tells us “The more advanced you see you are in the love for your neighbour, the more advanced you will be in the love of God. We will not reach perfection in the love of neighbour if that love doesn’t rise from the love of God as its root. By observing the love of God and the love of neighbour we do His will and so will be united with Him.”
The first reading speaks about proclaiming Jesus Christ raised from the dead by conforming ourselves to the paschal mystery of Christ, by bearing everything, for the sake of those who are chosen so that they too may obtain salvation. As followers of Christ, we are called to suffer hardships with Christ and for Christ, and to hold out to the end with Him, to persevere in our struggles in order to be faithful to Jesus. Saint Paul reminds us that God is faithful even when we are unfaithful to Him. In the Gospel, a friendly scribe comes to Jesus and asks Him, “which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus gently makes him realize that he still has to experience something greater than keeping the commandments, to experience God’s gift of divine life and love.
Jesus has taught us to love God by revealing God’s extravagant love for us. God is a loving Father who loves us, He gave us His beloved Son, to be the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus has taught us to love our neighbour by a self-emptying love: humbling himself and washing the feet of His disciples as an act of service, by teaching His disciples, that a man can have no greater love than to give his life for his friends. Saint Teresa of Avila speaking of spiritual love says” spiritual love seems to be imitating that love which the good Jesus had for us – a love with no self-interest. All that it desires or wants is to see the other soul rich with heavenly blessings, for everything done with pure intention is perfect love.
Response: O Lord, make me know your ways.
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