Ordinary Time

Pause

Take a moment to breathe, to reflect on the past day, and to pray:

Did I search for happiness in things or in my relationship with the Creator?

Did I find ways to express my love to God and those around me?

God, open my heart to be more like Christ.

Listen

He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Matthew 22:37-38

Think

It seems there are rules in life for everything we do. We have rules for school, driving a car, work, and sports. You probably are asked to follow certain rules at home. Rules are there to set safe boundaries for us. Often when we think of rules, we think of what we can’t or shouldn’t do. Rules can feel burdensome and seem to take the fun out of life.

As a Jew, Jesus knew what it was like to have a lot of rules. Jewish people were expected to follow laws about what they couldn’t eat, how to wash, how far they could walk on the Sabbath, and many more. It’s surprising that when asked what the most important commandment was, Jesus didn’t name something people shouldn’t do – like kill or steal. Instead, he said to love God with every part of our being. When we intentionally devote ourselves to God out of love, the rest falls into place. Our faith is about a relationship instead of rules. And in that, there is freedom and joy!

Stella Perrin

Pray

God, help me to let go of anything that is holding me back from loving you with all that I am, believing that you love me completely. Amen.

Go

Go,

Offering yourself fully to God, faults and all,

Believing that God loves you without reservation,

As you seek to love God and the world with all that you are.