Gospel Thought for Today
21st August Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope
Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together, and one of them,
a scholar of the law, tested him by asking,
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him,
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for Edward and Mary Finnegan RIP.
Reflection:
The relationship between Jesus and the Jewish leaders has becomes tense. One after another, they ask Jesus questions intended to trap him. Today’s Gospel tells us one episode when Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment. God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments. To single out which is the greatest can be quite tricky. Jesus, in His Wisdom, tells the scholar of the law: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind… You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. By citing these, the Lord has given His listeners the very heart of following the Commandments. Indeed, if there is no love for God, how can we worship Him? If we do not love Him, how can we keep Sundays and holydays of obligation holy? If there is no love for others, how can we respect our spouses, children, parents, and other people? Jesus was right when He said, “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments”.
Today we remember St Pius X. Known as the “pope of the Eucharist”, he was responsible for promoting frequent communion and allowing First Communion to be given to children as young as seven. A story goes that during papal audiences, he would gather children around him and talk to them about things that interested them. His weekly catechism lessons always included a special place for children. In his desire to reclaim children from religious ignorance, he required every parish to have the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. He also denounced the ill treatment of indigenous peoples on the plantations of Peru, sent a relief commission to Messina after an earthquake, and sheltered refugees at his own expense. No doubt, St Pius X had his heart set for God and his fellowmen.
- How do I love God with all my heart, soul, and mind?
- How do I love my neighbor as myself?
- St Pius X once said, “The greatest obstacle in the apostolate of the Church is the timidity or rather the cowardice of the faithful”. What steps do I take to be up and about in the Church’s apostolate?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Through the example and prayers of St Pius X, teach us to love as You have loved us: unconditional, generous, and without bounds. Amen.
Fraternally,
Pietro
