28And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" 29Jesus answered, "The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' 31The second is this, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 32And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; 33and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any question.
So if you are looking for the meaning of life, here it is: Love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love thy neighbour as thyself. When the bible says “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”, I think there is a case to be made that “me” represents a way of life that is committed to loving God and loving thy neighbour as thyself. Loving Father, I want to love you with all my heart, soul and mind and I want to love my neighbour as myself. Give me the resilience to deal with the pain that comes fom this commitment. Amen.
ReplyDeleteThis is a profound and insightful reflection. You distill the essence of Jesus’ teaching into a simple yet challenging truth: love of God and love of neighbor. I particularly like how you connect John 14:6 ("I am the way, the truth, and the life") to a way of life rather than just a doctrinal statement about Jesus’ identity. This interpretation emphasizes discipleship—that following Christ means actively living out His love.
DeleteYour prayer is especially powerful in acknowledging that true love—especially love of neighbor—comes with suffering. Loving as Christ did means opening oneself up to vulnerability, rejection, and sacrifice. That’s a deeply honest and courageous request in your prayer.
One thought: You might consider expanding on what it means to love your neighbor as yourself—not just in a broad sense but in specific, everyday ways. How do you personally experience this love, and where do you find the greatest challenges? That could make your reflection even richer.