Saturday, July 9, 2022

THE ONE LOVE

THE ONE LOVE

Meditation for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

(Deut 30:10-14; Col 1:15-20; Lk 10:25-37)

Love is in the heart; the heart is where love resides! The promptings of our heart will always follow the direction of our love. And it is what we love that we allow to influence us. Love is that unique difference that defines and sets Christians apart. Picking interest and acting on something can evoke our love towards it.

 

In the first reading, Moses explains that keeping God’s commandments will turn one’s heart and soul to Him. To turn one’s heart and soul to God is to love Him. And he who loves God will derive joy in obeying His commands and ordinances (1 Jn 5:3; Ps 19:7-8). Moses says, God’s commandments are not far off. They are near and within. “But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” That means the commandments of the Lord are INCARNATED among us! In other words, the divine law is not foreign to our lives; it is lived out in the one expression of our lives.

 

Since the divine rule is within us and is part of our life, it becomes self-contradictory for one not to live according to the commandments of God. And such disobedience will definitely bring confusion and disorder to the individual and to those affected by his actions. But we see in Jesus one who was like us in all things but sin (Heb 4:15). The Second reading described Him as “The image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” In Jesus, the divine law found its perfect and complete fulfilment (Mt 5:17). That means the human actions of Jesus were at the same time expressions of the divine will. Thus, Jesus is exalted as the One in whom all things hold together, “For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”

 

Therefore, in Jesus the divine law is now alive among us. Our heart and soul can now be energized by the divine will as we relate with Jesus and commune with Him. That love that unites Jesus and the faithful satisfies all the requirements of the law. In this love, the human heart and soul are lifted up to Jesus, and the divine will find expression in human action. Then, love becomes the law that fulfills all the ordinances of the Lord (Jn 13:34).  That is why the question, ‘how one can inherit eternal life?’ or ‘how one can earn heavenly blessings?’ is answered by love! Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

 

Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan to show that ‘my neighbor’ is anyone who is in need of my love and care. The act of compassion and charity is what defines neighbors! As the Samaritan diverted his journey to attend to the injured Jew, bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine, set him on his horse and trekked along to the inn, paid for the cost, and promised not to abandon him, that is the sense of urgency and commitment we should show to one another in their need. Meditating on this parable, we see that the Samaritan treated the injured Jew as if he himself was the one that was wounded!

 

And the love he showed to the man was similar to the love God showed to us in Christ Jesus (1 Pet 3:18). Thus, by showing God’s love to your neighbor, you have loved God by that very act. This one love, by which we love God and our neighbor, satisfies the requirements of the law and the prophets, and qualifies us to inherit eternal life. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Sunday July 10th, 2022.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

www.soundofsilence.ng

 

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