Daily Reflections

October 23, 2011
The Two Greatest Commandments


Whenever we take up the Law of Moses in my Old Testament class, my students are amazed when I present to them not just the Ten Commandments, but the 613 commandments which the Pharisees had identified in the Torah: 248 positive ones and 365 negative ones.

No wonder we hear in today’s Gospel that Pharisees came to Jesus and asked which of those 613 commandments was the most important. Surely, there must be some more important than others. Even though they asked not for enlightenment but to trap Jesus, He answered in a way that silenced them.

For the first and greatest commandment, Jesus quoted the Book of Deuteronomy and stressed that, above all, we must love God. Then He quoted from Leviticus an equally important law: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” To love God above all sounds great but are we aware how often we violate the greatest commandment? Too often, things come first in our life when we say, for instance, family first, or work first, or earning enough money first. Fine and good, but where does God come in? Certainly not in the first place. Remember, in the very first of the Ten ommandments, God demands that we do not put other gods before Him. Whatever takes the first place in our lives emoves God from the place He deserves.

And what about the second but equally important commandment? In His parable about the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught us that any person who crosses our path and is in need is our neighbor. And we have to love this person the way we love ourselves and expect to be loved by others. When we begin to reflect on the so familiar words of Jesus, beautiful as they are, they become harsh demands that can change our whole life if we take them seriously.Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:

What or who takes the most important place in my life? Do I love whoever is in need?


Lord, again You opened my eyes to something I had missed. I say and sing that I love You, but there are so many things that take higher priority in my life, replacing You from the place You deserve. Help me to correct this and also love whoever I meet that is in need.

St. Verus, pray for us.