The greatest commandment: love

October 27, 2002 -- 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1.How do you live out the greatest commandment? 2. What is the relationship between love of God and love of neighbor? 3. When have you felt your heart being enlarged, warmed, refined?

Would you agree with this statement: "The way you do anything is the way you do everything" (Fred Shoemaker)? Does the way we eat reveal to others the way we think? Does the way we spend our money disclose the way we use our time? And, glancing at the Gospel, does the way we love our neighbor bring to light the way we love God?

Jesus is again the object of entrapment. Last Sunday the Pharisees tried to nail Jesus regarding the payment or nonpayment of taxes to Caesar. In today's Gospel, the entrapment comes in the form of getting Jesus to interpret the law, hoping perhaps that his answer will give rise to some type of heresy or other.

Jesus is clear and decisive. The greatest command is love! That love goes in a double direction in that we are to love God with the fullness of our being and we are to love our sisters and brothers as we love ourselves. This is the bottom line both for all 612 laws in the Hebrew scriptures as well as the bottom line of all the preaching by the prophets. Everything depends on the reception and giving of love.

Several years ago Mitch Albom wrote Tuesdays with Morrie, a book composed of discussions between a sports writer (Albom) and his former teacher (Morrie) who was terminally ill. One of the lessons articulated was: "The most important thing in life is to learn to give out love, and to let it come in" (52). St. Paul knew that lesson well. Paul experienced thelove of Jesus and then spent the rest of his life talking about that love and mercy to whoever would listen. This apostle became a conduit of God's light and life, receiving and giving the graces that God bestowed upon him through Jesus. Paul's mission was to help others get caught up in this rhythm of grace.

In the reading from the book of Exodus we hear about the compassion of God. Compassion is another aspect of love in the face of suffering. God knows the plight of widows and orphans, of aliens and strangers, of the poor and naked. God warns us that we are to deal with everyone who is suffering with deep love and concern for God hears the cry of the poor and afflicted. Again we are reminded of the greatest commandment: love.

What does love do? Here is one possibility: "All love, all pity and tenderness, enlarges, warms and refines the heart" (Maisie Ward). This is what is needed in our world today -- heart of flesh, not of stone. One of the great prophets, Ezekiel, told of God's promise that a new heart would be given to us. The greatest commandment can only be lived because God has promised to shower divine love upon our lives. This love is made manifest in the person of Jesus who comes to us in Eucharist, in word, and in community. When that love is experienced our hearts are enlarged, warmed, and refined.

Whatever happened to the lawyer who posed the question to Jesus regarding the greatest commandment? Did the Lord's response, so direct and precise, influence the lawyer's heart? We don't know. Probably the lawyer already knew the answer but maybe the way that Jesus responded to the inquiry and maybe the way that Jesus looked into his eye brought about a conversion.

We too hear Jesus' response as we ponder the scriptures. We too, in faith, are exposed to the divine glance that enlarges, warms, and refines our heart. Maybe, just maybe, we will come to know that giving out love and taking it in is what life is all about.

(Bp. Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay.)