Memorial of the
Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Ezekiel 37:1-14; Matthew 22:34-40)
A number of years ago a Jesuit theologian wrote of a
disturbing trend. He said that people
today no longer talk about love of God.
Rather they talk about love of neighbor and love of self as if these
were contemporary ways to love God. The
theologian did not approve of the trend and assured his readers that love of
God is not only possible but necessary.
For Jesus to love God with all our heart means to have God
as our first and foremost desire. It is
to say with Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, “As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of
Jesus.” To love God with all our
soul is to desire eternal life in His company.
Although this may seem self-seeking, it is not selfishness. It is pursuing the fulfillment of the heart’s
legitimate desire. A poem repeated every
night on an old radio program put it well: “I love you not only for what you
are, but for what I am when I am with you.”
Jesus wants us also to love God with all our mind. This requires that we read about, think
about, and talk about God with others.
Many people spend most of their free time watching television. Loving God may mean for them turning off the
TV to reflect on God’s goodness. Helping
others is a practical way to demonstrate our love for God. Although St. Paul writes that it is possible to give
away everything and still lack love, most of us send contributions for
emergency relief to people we do not know because God wills it. Those who love God generally respond quickly
and effectively to the needs of other humans.
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