Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 29th October 2023
Abbot Paul • October 29, 2023
I apologise for the brevity of today’s message which concluded with a delightful celebration for Fr Andrew’s birthday in a local Indian restaurant and, of course, the exciting final of the Rugby World Cup, won by South Africa. Add to that the usual busy Saturday round and the time available dwindled into minutes.
Abbot Jerome, may he rest in peace, always used to say, “If only Christians would follow the teaching of Jesus, the world would be a far better place.” Who wouldn’t agree? In today’s short Gospel passage from Matthew (Mt 22: 34-40), one of the leading Pharisees, to disconcert him, asks Jesus a question: “Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?” Notice how he calls Jesus ‘Master’ or Rabbi, either recognising his authority or pretending to. Jesus doesn’t fall into the trap, but instead he brings together two important Old Testament texts, Deuteronomy 6: 5 and Leviticus 19: 18. He says, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.” He brings together the two sides of the coin of love: love of God and love of neighbour.
It’s always important to remember that the second one is to, “love your neighbour as yourself.” We can only truly love our neighbour if we can love ourselves first for love of self is bound up with love of God. In what sense do the Law and the Prophets "hang" on these two commandments? All the commandments found in the scriptures hang from the command to love, of which the love of God is foremost. So, the two great commandments serve as a summary of our duty toward God and neighbour. Every other command derives from these two. We recall the words of Jesus to his disciples at the Last Supper, “Love one another as I have loved you.” That is the love Jesus wants us to love with, a love that is absolute, unconditional and self-giving. Lord, grant us that love always. Amen.
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