Wouldn’t it be so good to have something that we knew for sure was the greatest in the world? Well, folks, you and I do have something that is the greatest in the world. We have the greatest commandment in the world. In fact, we have two greatest commandments, love God and love our neighbour. Jesus says we must love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Whenever we state that we believe in one God, we make a subversive statement, because we claim that no one, no thing, can have dominion over us. Only God is God.
We are filled with desires for beauty, closeness, moral righteousness, community; we want to live a life that is worth living – one that is filled with meaning. But as long as we don’t recognize that all of our desires are contained in our desire for God, we will continue to encounter dead ends and a feeling of frustration and incompleteness. This will happen when we think that we have finally found something that will bring total happiness and fulfilment to our lives, only to discover that loving God and one another is the only final answer.
The two commandments we heard today are the absolute best directions that are available in this whole world. Follow these directions and your life will be fulfilled – it may not be easy but it will be worth living. Jesus has given us the greatest commandment, the one thing necessary for life, the heart and soul of what it means to be human--love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself. And do both with everything that is in you.
All Saints Day – Tomorrow, Monday, November 1st is the Feast of All Saints. Because it falls on a Monday this year, there is no obligation to participate in Mass. However, if you wish to celebrate the Feast Day at Mass, our Mass times are: 8:30 a.m. at St. John Capistran Church and 11:30 a.m. at St. Thomas More Church.