A Riddle

 

Mass Readings and Reflection for Monday March 16, 2026

First Reading: (Isaiah 65:17–21)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 30)

Response: I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up. 

Gospel: (John (4:43–54)

Reflection:

The joy of new things is the kind of joy that the prophet describes in the first reading from the Book of Isaiah.

God tells His people:

“Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth.”

At that time, Jerusalem had been destroyed. The people had suffered exile and slavery. They had lost their homeland, their temple, and their dignity. But God promised them something extraordinary:

He would make everything new again.

No more weeping.
No more suffering.
No more lives cut short.
People would build houses and live in them.
They would plant vineyards and enjoy their fruits.

God was promising restoration, hope, and renewal.

But this message is not only about ancient Jerusalem. It is also about us.

God wants to make us new.

During the season of Lent, God invites us to let go of the old self, the person we used to be in sin. The person who lies, quarrels, gossips, cheats, or refuses to forgive.

Lent is the season when we begin the process of becoming a new creation.

Saint John captures this same idea in the Gospel when the royal official believes the word of Jesus even before seeing the miracle. His faith begins a transformation not only for him but for his whole household.

Faith makes life new.

Lent prepares us for the great moment of Easter, when we celebrate the victory of Christ over sin and death. In a spiritual sense, we also rise with Christ as new people.

But here is the important question:

Do we truly want to become new?

Sometimes we are comfortable with our old habits. We say:

“This is just who I am.”
“I have always been this way.”

But God does not accept that limitation. God sees something better inside us. He sees the person we can become.

Look at nature after the rain. Dry trees grow fresh leaves. Brown grass becomes green again. Everything becomes alive.

In the same way, God wants our hearts to become alive again.

So during this season of Lent:

• Let the old anger die.

• Let the old lies die.

• Let the old jealousy die.

• Let the old selfishness die.

And allow God to create in you a new heart and a new spirit.

When people meet you after this Lent, they should say:

“Something has changed.”
“This person is different.”
“I see a new person.”

Friends, have the courage to accept the new life that God wants to give us.

Because the new person God creates in us will always be better than the old one you leave behind.

Amen.

Have a wonderful week

Are You The Winner 🏆 🥇?

 

Drop Your Answer

 

Sunday March 14th Mass Readings and Reflection

First Reading: (1 Samuel 16:7, 12–13)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 23)

Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Second Reading: (Ephesians 5:8, 11, 14)

Acclamation: (John 8:12)

“I am the light of the world,” says the Lord; “whoever follows me will have the light of life.”

Reflection:

Among the many lessons in today’s Gospel, one stands out clearly. Some may find it strange that Jesus used saliva and earth to make clay, placed it on the man’s eyes with his own fingers, and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam. After all, Jesus could have simply snapped his fingers and healed the man instantly. Yet he chose a more tangible and personal approach.

In ancient times saliva was believed to have life-giving healing properties. But even more importantly, through this method the blind man experienced the personal touch of Jesus Christ. He heard his voice, felt his hands, and actively participated in God’s saving action.

Christ communicated God’s grace in a way adapted to human nature, engaging both body and spirit. He always worked not from a distance but up close and personal. His touch inspired hope and confidence, turning the miracle into a personal encounter rather than a mere display of power.

The Church continues this same pattern today through the sacraments. The priest’s words of absolution at the end of confession give real closure to our longing for forgiveness. The water of baptism, the bread and wine of the Eucharist, and the chrism of confirmation are tangible signs that express God’s desire to reach out and touch us. Since we are not purely spiritual beings, it is fitting that we encounter God through physical realities.

Christ saves human nature by redeeming it, not destroying it.

Many people become frustrated with God, wishing he would instantly solve the world’s problems. Some even point to injustice and suffering as evidence against God’s existence. They argue that if God were real, he would not allow such suffering. But this is a superficial argument.

Faced with injustice, God has two options. He could destroy the world and start over, wiping out every sinner. But that would include all of us, even those guilty of the smallest selfish thought. Instead, God chooses another path: he offers salvation. He invites us to cooperate with him in saving the world. This takes longer, but it gives sinners a second chance.

God is always at work, most often through ordinary people and events, never violating our freedom.

The American writer Whitaker Chambers, who exposed communist spies during the Cold War, once described how his atheism began to crumble. One morning he watched his young daughter at breakfast. His gaze fell upon her ears, and he marveled at their intricate design. In that moment he realized such perfection must come from an intelligent creator. There were no fireworks, no dramatic miracles, just God quietly reaching him through human reality.

The Church asks us to go to confession at least once a year if we are conscious of mortal sin, but she recommends going much more often. Christ does not want us to experience forgiveness vaguely or from afar. He knows we need a real encounter with mercy.

That is why confession is sometimes called the sacrament of regained joy.

Lent is a season of penance and repentance. But Christian penance does not end in sadness. It leads to deeper communion with God. Jesus suffered on the cross and took upon himself the punishment for our sins so that we might find in him a new beginning and unconditional forgiveness.

Today Christ renews that promise through the sacraments and through Holy Communion. As we receive him, let us give him the joy of being our Good Shepherd, allowing him to heal and renew our souls through the grace of reconciliation and the light of his presence.

The passage John 9:6–7, 35–38 is one of the most theologically rich healing stories in the Gospel of John. It is not only about a physical miracle but about creation, baptism, faith, and spiritual enlightenment. Below are the major theological themes.

1. Jesus as the Creator: The Clay and New Creation

In the miracle, Jesus spits on the ground, makes clay, and places it on the man’s eyes.

This action intentionally echoes Genesis, where God forms humanity from the dust of the earth. The symbolism suggests that Jesus is performing a new act of creation, restoring what was broken in humanity.

Theologically this means:

• Humanity was created from dust (clay).

• Sin brought spiritual blindness.

• Christ recreates the human person, restoring sight.

So the miracle is not merely healing; it shows that Christ has divine creative power.

2. The Pool of Siloam: “The One Who Is Sent”

Jesus tells the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam, and John specifically explains that Siloam means “Sent.” (

This detail is deeply symbolic.

In John’s Gospel:

• Jesus repeatedly calls himself the One sent by the Father.

• The blind man must go to the pool called “Sent” to receive sight.

The message is theological:

The one who was “sent” (Jesus) sends the blind man to “Sent” (Siloam).

This reinforces that:

• Jesus is the Messiah sent by God.

• Healing and salvation come through the One sent by the Father.

3. The Washing as a Symbol of Baptism

Many Christian theologians interpret the washing in Siloam as a symbol of baptism.

The pattern mirrors Christian initiation:

1. Encounter Christ

2. Obey His command

3. Wash in water

4. Receive spiritual sight

The water symbolizes purification and illumination through faith.

Thus the story represents how:

• Baptism opens the eyes of faith.

• Christ moves a person from darkness to light.

4. Physical Blindness vs. Spiritual Blindness

A major theme in the chapter is contrast.

The man who was physically blind ends up seeing spiritually, while the religious leaders who claim to see are actually blind.

The progression is powerful:

Stage	What the Man Says About Jesus
At first	“The man called Jesus”
Later	“He is a prophet”
Finally	“Lord, I believe”

Meanwhile the Pharisees move in the opposite direction, from questioning to rejection.

This reveals a core message of John’s Gospel:

Faith gives sight; pride produces blindness.

5. Faith Leads to Worship

The climax is John 9:38:

“Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

This moment is crucial.

The healed man does three things:

1. Recognizes Jesus

2. Believes in Him

3. Worships Him

In Jewish theology, worship belongs only to God.

By accepting worship, the passage strongly points to the divinity of Christ.

6. Jesus as the Light of the World

Earlier in the chapter Jesus declares:

“I am the light of the world.”

The miracle illustrates this claim.

The blind man moves from:

• Darkness → Light

• Ignorance → Faith

• Isolation → Worship

The miracle becomes a living sign of salvation.

7. Obedience and Faith

Another theological point is obedience.

Jesus does not heal him instantly.
Instead, the man must go, wash, and trust the command.

His healing comes through obedience

This reflects a biblical principle:

Faith is not only belief but action.

Summary of the Theology

This passage reveals multiple layers of meaning:

• Creation: Jesus recreates humanity like God forming Adam.

• Mission: The “Sent One” brings salvation.

• Baptism: Washing symbolizes spiritual rebirth.

• Faith: True sight comes through belief.

• Divinity of Christ: The healed man worships Jesus.

• Spiritual blindness: Religious pride prevents seeing truth.

In short:

The man receives two miracles, physical sight and spiritual.

Lent, you know, is bringing us through spiritual basic training, so it’s really important for us to pay attention to these marvelous stories.

This week: the man born blind.
Next week: Lazarus.
Last week: the woman at the well.

These great stories from the Gospel of John are meant to help us identify with each of these people, with the woman at the well, the man born blind, and then with Lazarus. They’re all talking about the dynamics of the spiritual life.

So let me just share a few insights from this incomparably rich story that’s beguiled Christians up and down the centuries.

Right at the beginning it says:

Jesus passed by and saw a man blind from birth.

So his disciples asked him:

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Listen now to the answer of Jesus:

“Neither he nor his parents sinned. It is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.”

We see suffering every day, of course.

Why did this happen?
How could God possibly have allowed this horrible thing to happen, to my husband, to me, to our family?

And the poor priest says, “Let me share a parable with you.” He tells a story, and he gives that answer of Jesus:

“It’s not because of his sin or anyone’s sin. It’s that the works of God might be made visible through him.”

You know, we all suffer in different degrees, I get it, but we all suffer, and we’re always looking for the answer:

Why?
Why?
Why?
Why is God allowing this?

Let this answer, everybody, sink in.

When you’re going through some terrible suffering, it may be that the works of God might be made visible in you. Somehow, God is using this struggle, this difficulty, this pain for His purposes.

Now, what do we see as this story unfolds?

Jesus declares Himself the Light of the World, one of the great “I AM” statements in John. I’ve told you about these before:

• I am the Bread of Life.

• I am the Good Shepherd.

• I am the Resurrection and the Life.

These echo the “I AM WHO I AM” from the Book of Exodus. Jesus is asserting His divine identity and authority.

In this case:

“I am the Light of the World.”

Beautiful.

He is the one by whom we see properly.

And here’s the point: we’re dealing with a man born blind.

Some people become blind later in life. But this man is blind from birth. He’s never seen. From the beginning of his life he’s been in the dark.

Do you see what he stands for?

Our great tradition has said: original sin.

That’s all of us. We’re all men and women born blind.

We’re born into a dysfunctional world, spiritually speaking. It’s like someone born into a household where there’s physical abuse, sexual abuse, drug abuse, something that affects everyone. The whole environment is damaged.

Well, that’s the human race.

We’re born into a world infected by cruelty, violence, hatred, and everything else. We breathe it in. We take it in from the time we’re born. And it blinds us.

It takes us out of the light.

But Jesus says:

“I am the Light of the World.”

He has come to illumine and heal the blind eyes of all of us born blind in original sin.

So identify with this man.

Now what does Jesus do?

After saying this, the Gospel tells us:

He spat on the ground, made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on the man’s eyes.

Kind of peculiar, right?

Was He mimicking some healing practices of the time? Maybe. But with Jesus, especially as John tells the story, there’s always something richly theological going on.

St. Augustine noticed something fascinating.

The saliva comes from the mouth, from the head, and it mixes with the earth, the clay. Augustine said this symbolizes the Incarnation, the Word of God becoming flesh. God’s spirit mixing, as it were, with matter.

And what does that produce?

It produces a salve.

Imagine Jesus taking this mud in His hands. He’s got this salve that He rubs into the man’s eyes.

The word salve in English is closely related to the Latin salus, which means health. When you greeted someone with the wish of good health, you would say:

Salve!

We have that great hymn:

Salve Regina, Hail Holy Queen.

Who is Jesus?

He is the Savior. From the Latin Salvator.

Same root.

He is the healer par excellence.

His very being, the coming together of divinity and humanity, functions as a healing balm, a healing salve. It’s as though Jesus Himself is being rubbed into the man’s blind eyes.

What does that look like for us?

The sacraments of the Church.

What are they? Just vague symbols?

No. They are the means by which God’s grace is communicated to us, body and soul.

We speak of the matter and the form of a sacrament.

Think of:

• Baptism: water + the words

• Confession: the absolution + the words

• Confirmation: oil + the words

The sacraments are the prolongation of the very being and presence of Christ, rubbed like a salve into our sin-sick bodies and souls.

How do we come to see, we who are blind from birth?

Not through the lights provided by the world. Those are more obscuring than illuminating.

No. We come to see by the light of Christ. We are healed through contact with Him.

So think of that, Catholics. Next time you receive one of the sacraments, think of that mud paste, that salve, that Jesus rubs into the man’s eyes. That’s what the sacraments are doing for us.

Then Jesus says:

“Go wash in the Pool of Siloam.”

And John adds:

“which means Sent.”

The Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem was a place of cleansing and bathing. But the fact that it means “Sent” is important.

One of the great descriptions of Jesus in John’s Gospel is that He is the One who has been sent.

Jesus constantly refers to the Father as “the One who sent me.”

So to bathe in the Pool of Siloam, what is that?

It’s baptism.

It’s being washed in Christ.

Baptism is not just a vague symbol. It is the means by which we are incorporated into Christ. We come to share His relationship with the Father.

So the salve, the sacraments, the Pool of Siloam, what’s being described here is how all of us born blind in sin are brought to healing and vision through immersion in Christ, mediated by the sacraments.

That’s how the Church Fathers read this great text.

Now listen to what happens.

He went and washed, and he came back able to see.

Is this a physical healing? Yes, absolutely. Jesus healed people physically. They remembered this story.

But with Jesus, everything operates at different levels. There’s a physical level, and then there’s the richly symbolic and spiritual level.

How do we come to see?

How do I know where I’m going?

Don’t follow the false lights of the world.

Wash in the Pool of Siloam. Receive the sacraments. Be immersed in Jesus.

There are so many great details in this story.

Imagine the man, someone who has never seen and now suddenly can see. He comes back overwhelmed. And the people don’t know what to make of it.

Some say:

“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”

Others say:

“No, it just looks like him.”

I love that detail.

Because when you come to Christ and you’re changed by Him, you don’t look the same. You don’t act the same.

People might say:

“Is that the same guy? No way.”

Of course not. He’s been transformed and transfigured by Christ.

Then the man says something fascinating.

Some say it’s him; others say it’s not. And the man says, in Greek:

Ego eimi.

“I am.”

On the surface, he’s just saying, “Yes, it’s me.”

But in John’s Gospel we can’t miss that phrase. Jesus says it again and again:

“I am. I am. I am.”

Why? Because He is the Son of God, I AM WHO I AM.

And here’s the extraordinary thing.

When we are grafted onto Christ in baptism, and through the sacraments, we share in His life. We become conformed to Him. We begin to see with His eyes, think with His mind, and move as He would move.

“I am.”

We become identified with Him.

I also love what happens next in John’s Gospel.

This marvelous thing has happened, the man was born blind and now he sees.

And what’s the reaction?

The crowd isn’t happy.

They say:

• “How did this happen?”

• “Who does this guy think he is?”

• “Wasn’t this the wrong day to do it?”

I get it, because I know what the fallen world is like.

A miracle of grace happens, and the reaction is negative.

Why?

Because it’s in the interest of blind people to keep other people blind.

Blind systems, blind institutions, blind cultures, they want to keep everyone blind.

It’s like Plato’s famous parable of the cave. If someone escapes and starts seeing the truth, the others don’t like it.

So don’t be surprised when you come to Christ and He changes you so much that people hardly recognize you. Don’t be surprised if they oppose you.

Even the man’s poor parents get dragged into the controversy. They’re afraid of the authorities.

But how does the story end?

The formerly blind man encounters Jesus again.

Jesus asks him:

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

The man says:

“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”

Jesus replies:

“You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.”

And the man worships Him.

Not just thanks Him.
Not just admires Him.

He worships Him.

That’s the goal.

The problem in the world is always false worship. Our blindness leads us to worship the wrong things.

But when we are healed by Christ, when we are baptized in the Pool of Siloam, when the sacraments are rubbed into us, when we are conformed to the I AM, then we finally know:

• where we’re going

• what we’re about

And we bow down and worship the One who gave us light and vision.

God bless you.

A War That May Not End Quickly

The war with Iran is now about two weeks old. Some expected the operation to be quick, similar to the swift intervention seen in Venezuela, but Iran is not Venezuela. It is a far more sophisticated and strategically capable nation.

Evidence already suggests this conflict may not end quickly. The war began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets, triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Middle East.

History warns that wars often last far longer than predicted. The United States once expected a short engagement in Vietnam, yet the conflict stretched for roughly twenty years.

Critics argue that prolonged wars often benefit powerful interests. As destruction spreads through the Middle East, rebuilding projects, especially those tied to energy infrastructure like oil facilities and pipelines, could eventually generate enormous financial opportunities for greedy bankers. At the same time, global markets are already feeling the strain: oil prices have surged as disruptions threaten shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for world energy supplies. Got it?

Whether by strategy, miscalculation, or economic incentives, some fear the United States may have been drawn into a conflict that could last much longer than initially expected.

For many observers, the concern is simple: once wars begin, they are rarely as short, or as controlled, as promised. It was a bad move and so God help us all.

Mass Readings and Reflection for Saturday of the Third Week of Lent March 14th 2026

First Reading: (Hosea 6:1–6)

Response Psalm: (Psalm 51)
God delights not in outward offerings but in a contrite heart and a humble spirit.

Gospel: (Luke 18:9–14)

Reflection:

Today’s readings speak clearly about the heart that God desires from us. The message is simple but powerful: God seeks humility and mercy, not pride and empty religious performance.

In the first reading from the Book of Hosea, the Lord calls his people to return to him. The prophet describes a God who wounds but also heals, who corrects but ultimately restores. God longs for his people to know him deeply. Yet the Lord also laments that their devotion is often temporary, like morning dew that disappears quickly. They perform rituals and sacrifices, but their hearts wander away.

The Lord makes his desire unmistakably clear:
“It is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

This means that God is not impressed by external displays of religion if the heart remains unchanged. Fasting, prayer, and sacrifice are important during Lent, but they must lead us to something deeper, a sincere relationship with God and a genuine love for others.

The psalm today echoes this same theme. Psalm 51 reminds us that what pleases God most is a contrite and humble heart. When we come before God honestly, acknowledging our weaknesses and our need for mercy, then our prayer becomes pleasing to him.

This message reaches its climax in today’s Gospel from the Gospel of Luke. Jesus tells the parable of two men who go to the temple to pray: a Pharisee and a tax collector.

The Pharisee appears to be a model religious person. He fasts regularly, pays his tithes, and follows religious practices carefully. But there is one problem, his prayer is filled with pride. Instead of speaking to God with humility, he compares himself with others and congratulates himself for being better than them.

Standing at a distance is the tax collector. In that society, tax collectors were often despised and seen as sinners. Yet this man does something remarkable: he does not defend himself, justify himself, or compare himself to others. He simply beats his breast and prays, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Jesus tells us something surprising: the tax collector goes home justified, not the Pharisee.

Why? Because humility opens the heart to God’s grace. Pride closes it.

This is an important lesson for all of us during Lent. Sometimes we can fall into the same trap as the Pharisee. We might feel proud of our fasting, our prayers, our good deeds, or our moral behavior. But the moment we begin to compare ourselves to others and look down on them, we lose the spirit that God desires.

True holiness is not about proving that we are better than others. It is about recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God.

The good news is that we do not have to earn God’s love through perfect performance. God has already shown his love by giving us his Son, Jesus Christ. Our response is simply to follow him with humility and gratitude.

When we acknowledge our weakness and turn to God sincerely, we open ourselves to his mercy. And that mercy has the power to transform our lives.

So today the Church invites us to ask ourselves a simple question: How do I approach God?

Do I approach him like the Pharisee, confident in my own righteousness?
Or like the tax collector, aware of my need for mercy?

Lent is a time to return to the Lord with humble hearts. When we do so, God never rejects us. Instead, he heals us, restores us, and raises us up to new life.

Let us therefore come before the Lord today with the prayer of the tax collector always on our lips. 

Did You See That?

The United States had sanctioned Russia for years, with the most recent round imposed during the Biden administration following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Those sanctions were designed to limit Moscow’s access to global markets and reduce the flow of money that could fund its military operations.

This week, however, the U.S. lifted some of those sanctions, allowing Russia to sell a portion of its oil to the United States. The move comes amid the war involving Iran and the resulting disruption of global energy supplies, which has put pressure on energy markets and raised concerns about availability and price stability.

What does that mean in practical terms?

It means Russia will have more petrodollars flowing into its economy. And with more revenue comes greater financial flexibility, money that can potentially be directed toward its ongoing military operations in Ukraine.

There’s another layer to consider. Iran is an ally of Russia. When allies are under pressure, they often support one another. So if Iran is being subdued or constrained by conflict, it is reasonable to assume that Russia could use some of its newly generated petrodollar revenue to help support Iran in various ways.

Now you begin to see the broader geopolitical picture.

The lesson here is simple: don’t believe everything you hear or see on television. The TV is not real, kids.

Measures Used During Covid

The top five covid era measures that didn't help us much are:

• Social distancing

• Closing large gatherings

• Work-from-home policies

• School closures

• Travel restrictions

We shall never forget.

Mass Readings and Reflection for Friday March 13th 2026

First Reading: (Hosea 14:1–9)

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 81)

Response: I am the Lord your God; listen to my voice.

Gospel: (Mark 12:28–34)

Reflection 

Our lives on earth and our going to heaven depend on one thing only-love.

I repeat: our lives on earth and our going to heaven depend on one thing only, and that is love. It is a question of how well and how much we loved, how well and how much we loved God, and how well and how much we loved our neighbors.

Beloved, all the prayers, the vigils, the novenas, the Stations of the Cross, all the Masses we attend, the pilgrimages we make, the church groups we belong to, the alms we give, the harvest thanksgivings, even becoming priests, bishops, or religious-God will ask all of us one question on the Day of Judgment.

Gospel of Matthew 25:31–46

Did you love?

How much love did you show to God through others?

• How many thirsty people did you give water?

• How many hungry people did you feed?

• How many naked people did you clothe?

• How many prisoners did you visit?

• How many sick people did you visit?

• How many people in error did you counsel?

• How many did you pray for?

• How many dead did you bury?

These are the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Beloved, that is all. The rest is commentary.

When we examine the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, we see they are all about love, love of God and love of neighbor.

Whether you are a priest, a bishop, a lay faithful, or a religious; whether you belong to church groups or not, it is all about love.

All the prayers we say, all the money we donate in church, all the church activities we attend, if these things do not lead us to love God and others, we are wasting our time.

Consider the words of First Epistle to the Corinthians 13.

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, if I am a prayer warrior who can move mountains, if I am a great miracle worker—but I have no love, I am an empty gong making noise.”

For there are three things that last:

• Faith

• Hope

• Love

And the greatest of these is love.

The same message appears in Epistle of James 2:17:

Faith without works is dead.

We may claim to have great faith, faith that moves mountains. But if that faith does not produce love and good works, that faith is useless.

Enough of demonstrations of faith.
Where is forgiveness?
Where is love for God?
Where is love for others?
Where is love even for our enemies?

Someone may pray loudly, speak in tongues, and claim spiritual power—yet cannot give water to a thirsty person or forgive someone who offended them. What use is that spirituality?

God is not moved by empty demonstrations.

The question whose answer will take us to heaven is simple:

Did you love God? Did you love others, even your enemies?

Remember the story of the Good Samaritan. Love is the essence of the Gospel.

That is why in today's Gospel Jesus says the first and greatest commandment is love. Everything else is commentary.

To love is to keep God's commandments. As First Epistle of John teaches, we cannot claim to love God and yet refuse to keep His commandments.

If we truly love God:

• We will worship only Him.

• We will not take His name in vain.

• We will keep the Sabbath holy.

If we truly love our neighbors as ourselves:

• We will honor our parents.

• We will not kill.

• We will not commit adultery.

• We will not steal.

• We will not bear false witness.

• We will not covet what belongs to others.

Think about how much we love ourselves. We want good food, good clothing, good homes, good cars. We do not want anyone to hurt us.

So Jesus says: Love your neighbor the same way.

What you do not like, do not do to others.
What you want for yourself, do for others.

If we love our neighbors as we love ourselves:

• We will not destroy their reputation.

• We will not harm their lives.

• We will not steal from them.

• We will not lie about them.

• We will not desire what belongs to them.

Beloved, you see it clearly:

Love God. Love your neighbor. Full stop.

That is the first and greatest commandment.

Even Jesus said love is greater than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Let us love, beloved, because love is the greatest.

If we do not love, we will never enter heaven.

That is why when the scribe answered correctly, Jesus said to him:

“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

Love God.
Love your neighbor.

Amen 🙏