Exodus 22:20-26 / 1 Thess 1:5-10 / Matthew 22:34-40
Many things can only work when they have what is essential to make them functional.
So, while all the other parts may be in tip-top condition, if that essential element is missing, then it can't do anything.
For example, cars need petrol to run. Many electrical devices need electricity or batteries to make them work.
So, other parts may be a bit defective, but with that essential element, that thing can still work.
So, in life, we must know what are the necessary and essential elements of the things we see around us.
While others are obvious, some other things need to be analysed, in order to see what is important and necessary.
In the gospel, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus about which is the greatest commandment of the Law.
We may wonder why that Pharisee asked Jesus such a question, because the answer is quite obvious.
Was it because that Pharisee just wanted to disconcert Jesus, just to irritate Jesus?
Jesus had earlier silenced the Sadducees about the question of paying taxes, which was a trick question for Jesus.
That's when Jesus gave that thought- provoking answer of “give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God”.
That left the Sadducees without any further questions, as they were silenced into reflection.
The Pharisees could have learned from that and remained silent.
But out of the folly of the lips of that Pharisee, we gained the wisdom to see the obvious and necessary.
Let us be silent and reflect on that great commandment: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.
The word that is repeated three times is “all” - all the heart, all the soul and all the mind.
So, what God requires of us is to love Him with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind.
And that is precisely where we fall short.
Because, we don't love God with our all.
Maybe three quarters, maybe half, maybe 1/4, which in any case is better than none at all.
We may think that it is difficult, if not impossible, to love God with that “all”.
But that also means we cannot be fully human if we don't love God with our all.
Because, God created us with all His love and in all His love.
So, we actually have all of God's love in us.
We only need to love God with all our love.
And then we will know how to love our neighbour with all our love.
Maybe, one of the reasons why we can't love God and our neighbour with all our love is because we are too noisy within.
The noise of envy and jealousy, the noise of anger and resentment, the noise of hatred and revenge, has suppressed our love.
That noisy Pharisee led him to try to disconcert Jesus.
Let us ask Jesus to help us to be still, and to be silent.
To be silent is to be able to listen, to listen to all that love God has for us.
And then, we will be able to love God and our neighbour with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind.