Jul 13 Sun
How can I begin to love my neighbor?
The Gospel reminds us of the twin and interrelated doctrines of complete love for God and love of neighbor as self. If you want eternal life, Jesus said to the scholar and said to us, that is what you must do.
But Luke tells us that the scholar of the law wanted to “justify himself,” so he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”
The Pharisees thought that the best way for Jews to be faithful to God was to separate themselves from Gentiles and even sinful Jews. They were perplexed that Jesus associated with sinful Jews and even Samaritans.
To answer the scholar’s question, Jesus composed the story we call the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
But instead of answering the question, “Who is the neighbor I should love?” Jesus answers a different question: “Who is the man who loves his neighbor?”
The answer is the hated Samaritan, not the Levite or the Jewish priest.
To love your neighbor as yourself means to give care to anyone in need that you encounter, even if he is your enemy. To do so, you need a permanent attitude, a life of prayer, the effort to do good and to shun evil, to obey the commandments, and to love God and neighbor.
To help fulfill the Ten Commandments, the pastors of the Church have the legitimate authority to make laws that apply to all Catholics, including themselves. These laws are called the Precepts of the Church. These laws or precepts require of us something we need: the essential minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, to grow in love of God and neighbor.
The first precept requires that we participate in the Eucharistic celebration every Sunday and holy day of obligation, and rest from activities that impede sanctifying these days.
The second precept requires that we confess our sins at least once a year in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to ensure we can receive the Eucharist worthily.
The third requires that we receive the Eucharist at least once a year.
The fourth requires us to observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
The fifth precept is the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.
A huge area to improve in could be observing the Sunday rest by not engaging in unnecessary menial labor or activities, which might end up alienating us from resting in God.
We should confess our sins regularly, and certainly as soon as possible if we are aware of a serious sin. If we care about our spiritual lives, we should try to go at least once a month.
We should receive the Eucharist at every Mass we attend, as long as we are in the state of grace.
These practical considerations only scratch the surface of what we can do to go beyond the minimal demands that the Church places on us for our good.