19 Aug
Fri
20th Week in Ordinary Time
St John Eudes, priest
Ez. 37:1-14
Ps. 107(106):2-3,4-5,6-7,8-9
Mt. 22:34-40
(Ps. Wk. IV)
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In the Gospel today Jesus teaches us that the greatest commandment is love. During Jesus' time, forgetting the real spirit behind the Ten Commandments, the Scribes and Pharisees were laying a heavy emphasis on the letter of the Commandments. The Commandments were given to establish our loving relationship with God and with one another. But people failed to understand this and were stuck only with the letter of the law. As a consequence, the law was not able to effect the inner transformation in the lives of people. Knowing this fact very well Jesus summarizes all the Ten Commandments and the teaching of the prophets as loving God and loving our neighbours. Jesus gives equal importance to the relationship with God, the vertical dimension and to the horizontal dimension relationship with our neighbour. We find these two dimensions perfectly combined and blended in the person of Jesus Himself. His love for His Father was expressed through His love for all of us, culminating in His death on the Cross. Christianity is a religion of relationships. Our relationship with God and with one another adds to the meaning of our lives.



Lord Jesus, help us to blend the vertical and horizontal dimensions of our relationships as You did.


DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That sports may be an opportunity for friendly encounters between peoples and may contribute to peace in the world.
Elaboration

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