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Reflection on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on November 3, 2024, by Mary Swain SL

Deut. 6:2-6, Mark 12:28b-34         

John McKenzie, a scripture scholar from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, says that Jesus’ answer to the question – “Which is the greatest commandment?”  – is not unusual, and rabbis of the day would have considered it an excellent answer: “You shall love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” McKenzie says that the new thing Jesus did was to place this commandment on the same level as what Jesus calls the second commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  McKenzie says there is no parallel in Jewish literature in which these two commandments really become one: to love God and to love the neighbor — one command.

This insight of Jesus has imbued our faith for years. None of us can argue that we love God but that caring for the neighbor is not very important.And we don’t. We are perhaps more and more aware that our neighbor is sitting next to us and our neighbor is in a village in Gaza or a city in Ukraine.  Globalization, it is called. The common good must be a part of it.

Christians, we know that loving God means loving the neighbor. In our lives, an unworldly relationship to God is not possible.  Yet, love of neighbor can seem overwhelming at times, whether loving the near neighbor or the farther neighbor. Perhaps our prayer has to be a line from Elizabeth Johnson. Elizabeth says, “Encompassed by incomprehensible holy mystery, we allow our hearts to be conformed to God’s own heart.” 

Several big thoughts: holy mystery, incomprehensible holy mystery, God’s heart. Perhaps another way to say that we are “encompassed by incomprehensible holy mystery” is to say we are immersed in God, surrounded by God. Thus, she says, “We allow our hearts to be conformed to God’s own heart.” She goes on to say that God’s heart “pours out loving-kindness on the world in unrepentant faithfulness.” We can certainly ask God to conform our hearts to God’s own heart. We can pray that we are able to pour out loving-kindness on the world in unrepentant faithfulness. We can ask to be shown what it is we must do. We are not alone.

Mary Swain SL

Mary Swain SL has been a consultant to the National Religious Retirement Office and has served on the board for the National Association for Treasurers of Religious Institutes. Along with her math background and service to the Loretto Community in the financial area, she has experience as a church organist and plans and prepares materials for Loretto liturgies at Loretto Motherhouse and for special occasions. Mary resides at Loretto Motherhouse, the grounds of which receive her careful tending and loving touch.