One day, a little boy approached his mother together with a piece of paper in his hand. The little boy said to his mother, "Mom, this is the sum of all the things you are to pay me." Surprised, the mother lovingly replied, "My son, what is it that I have to pay you?" The son replied, "For the times I washed the dishes, 100 pesos. For the times I swept the floor, 100 pesos. And for the times I cleaned the window, 200 pesos. So Mom, all in all you have to pay me 400 pesos."
"Wait up", the mother replied.
After a few minutes, the mother went back to her son and brought with her a sheet of paper. The son asked, "What is that mom?" "My son let me just read what I have written. For the times I washed your clothes, it's free. For the times I took care of you when you were sick, it's also free. And for the moment I bore you from the womb, it's totally free."
If this is the dialogue of the mother in the story, I can just imagine how God would respond to us in counting what we have done for him so far. Perhaps, God will just smile and say, "For the time I created you, it's free. For the time I died for you on the cross, it's also free. And for the fulfilled promise that I will be with you forever, it is totally free." Surely, God's love is unconditional.
In today's gospel (Matthew 22: 34-40), Jesus reminds us of the greatest commandment that we ought to follow, that is, to love God and neighbor. Note that in the original Greek text the word that was used was agapeis (αγάπεις) [You love ] which is not just a sexual or friendly love but an unconditional one. Today is a day to remind ourselves to give back to this absolute love of God for us. May the unconditional love of God draw us to be in love entirely with God and the people around us. Amen.
TGIFY-Reflection #9
(Thank God It's Fri Yey!)
August 23, 2019
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Fridays with Jesus
EspiritualA Friday reflection on the value of Jesus in the gospels.
