St John Eudes, priest
20th Week in Ordinary Time : Friday 19th August 2022
Ez. 37:1-14; Ps. 106:2-3,4-5,6-7,8-9;
Mt. 22:34-40 (Ps Wk IV)
Ezekiel was a prophet of the Lord while the Israelites were in exile in Babylon. In this passage, Ezekiel prophesied that the people of Israel would be restored to their homeland. It would be a communal resurrection. There would be a new covenantal relationship with God after the exile. Their disobedient hearts would be replaced with hearts desirous of obeying God and being in relationship with God. Total love and obedience to God would be the key.
Jesus had just silenced the Sadducees in a discussion, so the Pharisees decided to test Jesus themselves. When the Pharisees asked Jesus to name the greatest commandment of all, He responded with the love commandment – first, to love the Lord God with all your being and then, to love your neighbour as yourself. Here Jesus prioritised love for God and neighbour above all else. Jesus suggested that these two commandments provided the key to carrying out all the other commandments of the Jewish Law. Again, love and obedience to God are essential.
Lord, help me to put You first in my life by loving You and others above all else.
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