📅 25 October 2026  |  👤  Vivek P Vinnarasan SJ

Today’s Gospel brings us right to the heart of what it means to live as a Christian. When the Pharisees tested Jesus by asking which commandment in the law was the greatest, they expected a debate over the six hundred-plus rules of Jewish law, or perhaps a simple choice favoring one rule over another. But Jesus gives a response that completely redefines how we approach our faith and live our daily lives: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind," and the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself."

Jesus does not separate these two commandments; He unites them as two sides of the same coin. Love of God and love of neighbour cannot be divided. If we say we love God but ignore the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those around us, our faith remains incomplete, sterile, and distant. On the other hand, doing good works for others purely out of humanitarian habit—without grounding our lives, motives, and strength in God's boundless love—can leave us spiritually exhausted and empty. Authentic discipleship happens right at the intersection of both—where our personal, intimate relationship with God actively directs how we love, forgive, and serve everyone we meet on our path.

The Vertical Dimension: Loving God with All Our Heart

Loving God with all our heart means making Him the absolute foundation and center of everything we do. It is not just about checking off religious obligations or reciting rote prayers; it is about an ongoing, living relationship. We express this love by carving out quiet time in prayer, participating in the Eucharist with a fully conscious heart, and listening attentively to His Word speaking into the messiness of our lives.

Yet, true worship never stays safely locked inside the church walls. It must naturally overflow into our everyday actions. Our prayer and devotional life are meant to sharpen our spiritual vision so that we can clearly see the face of Christ in others—especially in the stranger, the lonely, and the vulnerable, echoing the call from the Book of Exodus to care for the widow, the orphan, and the stranger.

The Horizontal Dimension: Loving Our Neighbour as Ourselves

Loving our neighbour as ourselves is the practical test of our faith. It is where theology hits the road. In our daily lives, this love is expressed not just in grand, headline-grabbing gestures, but in simple, everyday acts of kindness: a listening ear when someone is hurting, a forgiving heart when we have been wronged, offering practical help to someone in distress, or speaking up with courage for those who are struggling to find their own voice.

As St. Paul reminds the Thessalonians in our second reading, our true identity is rooted in the power of the Gospel and Christ's love. They became imitators of the Lord, welcoming the word with joy even amidst affliction, so that their faith became an example to all believers. That same love urges us today to step beyond our own comfort zones and selfish interests to genuinely care for one another.

As we reflect on these readings today, let us take time in quiet prayer and ask ourselves these two questions:

1. How can I deepen my personal love for God?

2. And how can I make that love visible and tangible to my family, my parish, and my neighbours?

May God grant us the grace to live courageously at the intersection of love for Him and love for one another. Amen.