Reflection by Deacon Matt

Reflection for 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time: 

Deut. 6:2-6: It can be easy; especially when we’re young, to think of laws, as “constraining” us or “crimping our fun.” As we mature, we come to appreciate how good laws promote proper inter-actions between people; attempting to ensure that interactions between people are fair and just and honest. With maturity, we come to see that having laws… especially God’s Law, is meant to protect us and promote peace between and among people. In this regard, we can begin to understand that God’s Law actually frees us… from the chaos and confusion that we’d face if God’s Laws weren’t here to govern our behavior. In this passage, we’re reminded that the most important law is to love God with all of our heart, soul and strength. Later, this Law is knitted together with Jesus’ Command to love our neighbor, as ourselves (and, as if our neighbor is God, Himself)! 

Psalm 18: “I love You, Lord, my strength!” How appropriate that we sing this psalm after just being commanded to love God, whole-heartedly and with our entire souls and strength. In this psalm, we recognize and celebrate God’s role in our lives as our protector, our guide and Source of Wisdom and our “deliverer” from all that afflicts us. When we pray or sing this psalm, we celebrate God’s complete provision for all of our needs… especially our most basic needs for shelter, protection from our enemies and for food, clothing and other necessities.

This week, let’s reflect upon how we can love God more fully and completely. We might find ourselves more often in prayer; but, even better… we may find ourselves making more efforts to engage in more charitable acts for others. After all, serving God by serving others is our highest calling as Christians!

Hebrews 7:23-28:  We continue reflecting on loving God intensely and perfectly. A great part of our love for God can be expressed in gratitude for Jesus’ Sacrifice of Himself on the Cross. Unlike earthly high priests, Jesus’ priesthood is eternal and accessible in every age, because Jesus is truly God! In our praise, worship and in our intercessions to Jesus, we’re not constrained by time or by limited access. Jesus is eternally our deliverer and always available to us.

As St. Paul proclaims, Jesus is “holy, innocent and undefiled,” unlike we sinners. Jesus is worthy of all of our love, honor, glory and thanksgiving, for Jesus is truly our God! Let’s take time this week to reflect upon Jesus’ profound holiness and to love Him and adore Him!

Mark 12:28b—34: In this profoundly important passage, Jesus explains to us, succinctly and compellingly, our Mission and purpose. We’re to make great efforts to ponder on and get to know God through Scripture study, prayer and meditation. We’ll further get to know, love and serve God from our efforts to demonstrate our love for God by our charitable acts for “neighbors” around us. These “neighbors” include such groups and individuals as our families, co-parishioners and community members, such as the poor, the unborn and other suffering individuals and groups needing our help.

Jesus came as a newborn infant for many reasons. One reason is to stress with us that the first place/situation in which we welcome God in other people is when we care for the unborn and newly born. Each “little immigrant” is in the image of God. Welcome them!  Care for them and for their families, too!  

Deacon Matt


Deacon Matt