✉︎ 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 ✉︎

For a Love of Neighbor

The Catholic missal this year has one of my favorite readings today for the gospel.

Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,

"Which is the first of all the commandments?" 
Jesus replied, "The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, 
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these." 
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
'He is One and there is no other than he.'
And 'to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself'
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
"You are not far from the kingdom of God." 
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten son of God, we turn to you in petition and thanksgiving. First and foremost we praise you above all names and thank you for all your many blessings: for life, for goodness, for food, for family.

We look to you oh Lord for strength and for hope. We desire health and we desire goodness, and all this comes from a desire of you.

In today's Gospel, Lord, you command your people both an old commandment (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) and a new one. You paired the love of you with a love of other.

Loving our neighbor is often difficult. They may be mean, or they may simply be different from us. 7 times 70 times we are commanded to forgive offenses.

"....and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us..."

Remind us that our neighbor is You. Our works matter. How we treat others is not only a reflection of ourselves, but a reflection of the entire body of Christ, and the bride her Church.

There is goodness in all people. Mankind may be bent, beaten, and bruised. But we are not evil. God does not create evil. So Jesus, we plead with you to enter into us through the Holy Spirit and bring us your hope and your help, so that we may treat others as we would want to be treated.

Holy Mary, mother of God, Saint Joseph her most chaste spouse, Saint Maria Goretti, Saint Joan of Arc, and all the blessed martyrs who died for their faith, and for the belief that evil does not require an evil reaction, we ask you keep us in your prayers as well.

All this through Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

Silmarilz1701