Love ~reflex on Matt 22:24-40

Jesus is always being “tested” by the Pharisees and Sadducees, those who lead the Jewish people, but not always with pure intentions. In the Gospel today, Jesus is asked by “a scholar of the law” which commandment is the greatest. In two sentences, Jesus surpasses this “test” and sums up the entire program of our life.

The first part of Jesus’ answer would not have been a surprise to the Pharisees. Jesus was quoting the Sh’ma, the words from Deuteronomy which were well known to all Jews and which the Rabbis all agreed was the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (or strength).” But then Jesus connects this to a “second commandment,” linking love for God with love for neighbor: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

It is in this second part that the Pharisees often fell short, failing to have true charity for others. But, of course, if we truly love God as we should, we also love others because God loves them! Love is the foundation of all, because we come from Love, we are returning to Love, and Love is rescuing us every step of the way; and unless we let go of ourselves and our selfwardness in order to love God and others, we are not truly walking with the One Who is Love.

Today is also the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary, the one who, conceived without Original Sin, loved purely and perfectly. This young virgin understood her littleness before God and opened herself fully to the plans of Love. It was only because she loved the Lord her God with all her heart and soul and strength that she was able to say “Fiat” to the plans of Love, in the name of all humanity, in complete trust, and conceive within her womb Love Incarnate. And at the end of her earthly life, she was crowned by Love as Queen of all created things, and our loving Mother. If we love God and love our neighbor, we love our Mother Mary too.