Today in the Gospel proclamation we are reminded of two commandments that we need to be aware of and follow. As we all know, a commandment is an established law and there were a number of such laws that Jewish people were supposed to follow as they came down from generation to generation.

However today, in the Holy Gospel our Lord Jesus simplifies these complex laws that have been passed down generations into a simple set of instructions for everyone to build the foundation on as a follower of Christ.

The First commandment is about loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and in all our strength. This commandment can be challenging for many of us as we fail to feel the presence of God amid the secular world, we live in. We are becoming more and more dependent on things that we can see, feel, taste, smell and touch. Sometimes becoming slaves to the drives of our senses. Anything beyond what we can experience is becoming unthinkable resulting in not being able to love our creator and giving time for our creator as Lord Jesus is asking us to set the foundation on. How do we fix it? How do we love God? What does God need from us? In the Gospel of John 4th chapter Lord Jesus confirms that the Father is seeking people who can worship him in spirit and truth. Spending time to praise and worship God and making everything else to be second place in our lives while depending on divine providence is one way, we can love God.Saying yes to the will of the Father like blessed mother did when she accepted to be the mother of Lord Jesus is such great example we could follow. Secondly to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. For many of us the neighbour is who are in proximity and the people we know and those whom we have an association with. In the parable of the good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke 10:25-37 our Lord Jesus gives us a perfect definition of who our neighbour is and how we should love our neighbour. When our Lord Jesus asked the scribes,“So which of these three do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?”.This parable shows the difference between just knowing the law and those who sincerely followed the law in their lifestyle and conduct. Today Lord Jesus is assuring all of us if you sincerely loving your God and your neighbour you are not far from Kingdom of God!