Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbour as yourself.
The readings this week remind us that the love of God and the love of other people lie at the core of our lives as Christians.
In the First Reading, Moses reminds the people of Israel, who are about to enter the promised land, that they must love God with all their heart, soul and strength.
The Psalm expresses our love for God, who is our rock and our refuge. It praises the God who has done so much for us.
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews (Second Reading) speaks of Jesus as the ideal high priest. Unlike previous high priests, he lives for ever, and can ‘intercede for all who come to God through him’.
Answering the question posed by a scribe in the Gospel, Jesus goes beyond the exhortation of Moses. We are indeed to love God, but we must also love our neighbour. Love of God, the greatest commandment, is inseparable from love of neighbour.
This week, we might want to focus our prayer on the people around us, near and far, that they should know and love the Lord, and live in peace.
