"You are not far from the kingdom of God."

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings for this coming Sunday focus us on the most important things when it comes to the way we act and behave as Christians. In the first reading, Moses starts by laying down the first and most important commandment, "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength." All of the rest of the commandments and laws are based on this precept.

In the Gospel, Jesus is asked by a scribe, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" Quoting Moses' statement from Deuteronomy above, Jesus also adds, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." He finishes by saying, "There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe he is speaking to agrees, showing that he recognizes that the Law is more than just simple rules and prohibitions to follow, and so Jesus tells him "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

When taken together, we can recognize that these two commandments are not contradictory, telling us to love two separate things, but both say the same thing. Divine revelation has shown us that God loves us beyond our greatest imaginings, sending his Son to live among us, to die for us, and "always able to save those who approach God through him," as the Letter to the Hebrews tells us. It is fitting, then, that we love God with everything that we have. But we also need to recognize, as Scripture teaches, that each human being is also made in the image and likeness of God and is always capable of being saved through Jesus. Therefore, we should love one another as well, for in doing so we are loving and respecting God in all that God has made and all that God wishes to save.

So, let us pray this week that we all may grow in our desire and our ability to love God with everything we have, which includes in our lives of prayer, in our avoidance and sorrow for sin, and in our acts of charity, love, and respect toward our neighbors. For then, perhaps, we also will not be far from the Kingdom of God.

Want to prepare your heart and mind for Sunday's Mass? Click here to find the readings.