Part 1 of 2
Daily Office Readings for Sunday of Proper 25: Year 2
AM Psalms 63 and 98; PM Psalm 103; Ecclesiasticus 18:19to33; 1st Corinthians 10:15to24; Matthew 18:15to20
“Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?” (1st Corinthians 10:18)
I think the most troubling time for me during this pandemic is missing being with my brothers and sisters around the Table for receiving the Body of Christ. We all have differences in many ways. We have different political beliefs; we have different beliefs regarding who should marry who; we even have different beliefs about who Jesus really is, Son of God, or God Incarnate. But we come to the Table in solidarity of purpose. And that is, obeying Our Lord Jesus who said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Despite our differences we are partners at the Altar. Thank You Lord Jesus.
Part 2 of 2
New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 25: Year A
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and Matthew 22:34-46
“He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22: 37 to 40)
There was a traveler who asked an old Rabbi, “Sir, could you explain the whole of the Torah while standing on one foot?” To which the Rabbi answered, “What you don’t like done to you, do not do to anyone else.”
In the Hebrew Testament there are six hundred and thirteen laws; many of which are outdated in today’s societies. And we Christians have adopted the Ten Commandments as part of our own code of conduct. However, in today’s Eucharistic Gospel, we see where our Lord Jesus makes it easier for us. It is indeed easier to remember only two Commandments. Love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as yourself. Loving God must come first. Love God, and then we are able to love others through the love we have for God. It is also very important that we love ourselves. It does us no good to love others as we love ourselves if in fact, we don’t love ourselves. God loves us. Therefore, we too must love ourselves. God finds us worthy of God’s love. So we cannot, not love ourselves. After this, we stretch out to our neighbors, all on earth.
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to, and through, the saints of God, and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 