Sunday, October 25, 2026

 THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, October 25, 2026

(Exodus 22:20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Matthew 22:34-40)

The young nun was proud of her achievement. Her students had earned high marks on their exams. When she told the Mother Superior of her success, the superior didn't seem particularly impressed. The young sister asked why. The veteran explained that she worked with the most gifted students in the school. She said that any teacher could succeed with them. To prove her teaching ability, she would have to produce such results with less intelligent students. I would like to use this story to reflect on today's Gospel.

When Jesus answers the question about “the greatest commandment” with “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…,” he isn't saying anything particularly insightful. These words come from the famous Shema in the Book of Deuteronomy. It is one of the most frequently repeated verses in the Old Testament. In Jesus' time, the Jews recited the verse twice a day. They engraved it on their doorframes. They placed it in phylacteries so that it would be before their eyes all day long. Like the young religious woman teaching the gifted students, calling it the greatest commandment doesn't represent a great achievement on Jesus' part.

However, in the second part of his answer, Jesus reveals his brilliance and wisdom. Although "love your neighbor as yourself" is found in the Book of Leviticus, it isn't given much importance there. Nevertheless, Jesus treats it as one of the two super-keys upon which all Judeo-Christian morality hangs. Because he was asked for the one greatest commandment, his answer implies that it forms a single commandment with love of God. In effect, Jesus is saying that one cannot love God if one does not love the man or woman who bears God’s image. The First Letter of John makes almost the same assertion when it states, “for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God ⁵ whom he has not seen” (I John 4:20b).

In his commandment, Jesus uses the Greek word agape for “love.” Agape conveys the sense of self-sacrifice for the good of the beloved. It is not simply affection, which is charis in Greek, but the love that helps and supports the other with actions. It is the love of the Good Samaritan for the man left for dead. It is the love that moved a woman to donate one of her kidneys to a diocesan priest in Texas.

We are approaching year’s end. The harvest is over, and everyone is anticipating the end-of-year festivities. Before we celebrate Thanksgiving, the Immaculate Conception, and the birth of the Savior, Jesus’ commandments should move us to think of those in need. Whether they are as close as our neighbor who has been sent to live in a nursing home or as far away as the starving children in war-torn parts of Africa, we should plan now how to respond to their suffering. Our support will not only make Christmas more fulfilling for them but also for us.