10 September, Sunday — Love Your Neighbour as Yourself

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Eze 33:7-9
Rm 13:8-10
Mt 18:15-20

“For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.”

Today’s readings simplify for us how God desires for us to live. And that is, to love your neighbour as yourself.

In the second reading, it says, “Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow man, you have carried out your obligations.” and in the Gospel, where it says “Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.”

What prevents us from loving, I would feel, is when we make our own judgment based on what we feel is right and wrong. We believe that we have been patient, understanding, compassionate and forgiving enough already, such that our ‘kindness’ and ‘love’ isn’t reciprocated but instead, being taken for granted. Maybe we end up staying far away from such people who don’t seem to be able to love us back in return. The best thing is when we pray for that person and hope that he/she will one day realise how much we’ve done for them.

What would happen if God were to judge us in this same way? Would He have already ‘abandoned’ us?

Obviously He does not abandon us, but even more so, He still runs after us when He sees us returning from afar.

The church is indeed not a museum of saints but a hospital for sinners, for I too, am guilty for the many times that I’ve criticised and looked down upon my fellow brothers and sisters when they are not of the same ‘standard’ as me, or when they do not live up to their role, according to me.

God also recognises how we can respond to a brother or sister who has sinned against us and fails to listen to us. God is calling us today not to live by our ‘standards’, but by His standard. God calls us to to pray with them, for we too need prayers ourselves, in order for us to recognise how people around us may be showing love in their way. That “if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.”

(Today’s OXYGEN by Benjamin Mao)

Prayer: Dear Lord, may we make an effort to hold our quick judgment, for there are many things we do not see nor know just from talking to our neighbour. Give us the grace to be able to empathise, to understand, to listen, to love. May we believe that in loving our neighbour, you are present there with us, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Amen.

Thanksgiving: Thank you Lord, for reminding us of Your love for us. You call us to the highest standard while loving us first with that highest standard, even when we don’t deserve. May we never take your love and graces for granted. May we love you more by loving our neighbour. Amen.