Friday Gospel Recharge
A Reflection on Matthew 23:34-40
(20th Friday of Ordinary Time, Year B of the Liturgical Calander, 2024)
True Love's essence in a secular world
The phrase “love is love” is an empty and meaningless expression because
it fails to define what love truly is. By merely repeating the word, it offers
no deeper insight. This phrase does not originate from Catholic tradition, where
words are used with care and intent. We can therefore conclude that its roots
are secular, reflecting the world’s distorted priorities regarding the true
essence of love: a forgetting of what it truly means to love.
In today’s Gospel, the
Pharisees challenge Jesus, asking Him what the greatest commandment is. The
text reveals their malicious intent: they seek to find fault in Jesus, hoping
to humiliate Him if His answer deviates from tradition. In this way, the
behaviour of the Pharisees mirrors modern misunderstanding of love. They are
intent on causing harm, and as we know, evil has no place in love. Their actions
reveal a forgotten or ignorant understanding of love’s virtue, for if they truly
understood their actions, they would recognise that their motive to be anything
but loving.
However, Jesus surprises the
Pharisees on two fronts. First, He recites the Shema, reminding them what they
already know, that love of God is before all things. Then, He elaborates on what
this love should look like, highlighting that their actions have proven
otherwise. Love of God is not merely lip service but a tangible experience, manifested
in our love for others as we love ourselves. When we respect and care for
others our love for God – with all our heart, soul, and mind – is truly
observed.
Loving others as ourselves
requires a level of self-denial. Many people are in need – this is evident in
the tabloids, in our communication with others, and in those we encounter who seem
lacking. To address their needs, we provide from our surplus, even at the cost
of our own comfort, so that the deprived may experience the love we have for ourselves
- the love they too would have for themselves if they were not in want.
Loving our neighbour as ourselves
entails more than the offering of material assistance; it also includes sharing of intellectual gifts, such as truth, with those who are ignorant, even if it puts us
in danger. This act of love also makes the lover vulnerable. Throughout the
four Gospels, Jesus often risked His own safety for the sake of others, as seen
in his preaching ministry. This is reflected in today’s Gospel, where Jesus
reminds the Pharisees that sacrificial love towards our neighbour is integral
to fulfilling the greatest commandment: love of God. Even before Jesus could teach
them, they were already set on to discredit him. Preaching the truth from a
place of love can indeed come at a high cost.
In a world where
individualism dominates and error often prevails over truth, it’s no surprise
that a meaningless and empty phrase like “love is love” has replaced a truer
understanding of love. As Christians, we have a duty to restore love’s true
meaning. Jesus implores us to actualise this love by mirroring our love for self
in our love for our neighbour. We are not called to a self-centered life, as
this contradicts Jesus’s teaching from this Gospel. God has breathed life into our
souls so that we may share our lives with others, just as He has shared His
life with us. Every Christian is called to preserve their life, which means having
a proper love for self. Only when we love ourselves properly can we extend that
love freely to others, loving them for their own sake. By doing so, we dignify
their lives and help them reach their full potential.
As we journey towards the
21st Sunday of the liturgical calendar, let’s commit to living for others through
the love we have for ourselves. This kind of love is the only way we can truly
love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. It not only uplifts others but
also helps us to reach our potential: to love God more perfectly in every
thought, word, and deed. Let’s not be afraid now to commit our lives to loving
others and God in this manner.
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