Mar 20, 2025 Written by 

The greatest commandment

To the scribes who ask what is the greatest commandment Jesus answers in a disconcerting way: Listen! To love God and neighbour with all one's self is worth more than a thousand sacrifices!

To the scribe, who had understood all this, Jesus points out that he is not far from the Kingdom of God.

 

The Poor Assisian had clear ideas about the priorities to be given on the spiritual path.

For him, love for God with every fibre of his being, and for his neighbour, was a sweet truth carved into his heart in letters of fire.

In this regard, we are assisted by the Sources, rich in episodes from his life.

"The soul was all thirsty for its Christ and offered itself entirely to Him in body and spirit [...].

She was always looking for a secluded place, where she could be united not only with her spirit, but with her individual limbs, to her God.

And if he suddenly felt visited by the Lord, so as not to be without a cell, he made himself a small one with his cloak.

And if at times he was without it, he would cover his face with his sleeve, so as not to reveal the hidden manna [...].

Often, without moving his lips, he would meditate for a long time within himself and, concentrating the outward powers within, he would lift up his spirit to heaven.

In this way he directed his whole mind and affection to that one thing he asked of God: he was not so much a praying man as he himself was transformed into a living prayer' (FF 681-682).

Also, from the very beginning of his conversion, love for his brothers, compassion for their sufferings and needs, were the guiding motif of his actions.

"He took much money with him and went to the lepers' hospice; he gathered them together and distributed alms to each one, kissing their hands.

On his return, the contact that had previously been repugnant to him, that is, seeing and touching lepers, was truly transformed into sweetness [...] by the grace of God he became a companion and friend of the lepers so that, as he says in his Testament, he stood among them and humbly served them" (FF 1408).

Clare, a faithful disciple of Francis, did the same within the Damianite walls, always ready to serve lovingly the sisters of her community and those who knocked at the Monastery door.

"She washed the seats of the infirm, she cleansed them herself, with that noble spirit of hers, without shying away from filthiness or disgusting stench" (FF 3181).

"Very often she washed the feet of the servants who returned from outside and, washing them, she kissed them" (FF 3182).

Loving the Lord with all one's strength and one's neighbour as oneself is worth more than holocausts; the two Assisian giants had understood this well, testifying it to all.

 

«And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your life and with all your mind and with all your strength [...] You shall love your neighbour as yourself» (Mk 12:30-31)

 

 

Friday, 3rd wk. in Lent  (Mk 12,28b-34)

127 Last modified on Thursday, 20 March 2025 04:17
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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Knowing God, knowing Christ, always means loving him, becoming, in a sense, one with him by virtue of that knowledge and love. Our life becomes authentic and true life, and thus eternal life, when we know the One who is the source of all being and all life (Pope Benedict)
Conoscere Dio, conoscere Cristo significa sempre anche amarLo, diventare in qualche modo una cosa sola con Lui in virtù del conoscere e dell’amare. La nostra vita diventa quindi una vita autentica, vera e così anche eterna, se conosciamo Colui che è la fonte di ogni essere e di ogni vita (Papa Benedetto)
Christians are a priestly people for the world. Christians should make the living God visible to the world, they should bear witness to him and lead people towards him. When we speak of this task in which we share by virtue of our baptism, it is no reason to boast (Pope Benedict)
I cristiani sono popolo sacerdotale per il mondo. I cristiani dovrebbero rendere visibile al mondo il Dio vivente, testimoniarLo e condurre a Lui. Quando parliamo di questo nostro comune incarico, in quanto siamo battezzati, ciò non è una ragione per farne un vanto (Papa Benedetto)
Because of this unique understanding, Jesus can present himself as the One who reveals the Father with a knowledge that is the fruit of an intimate and mysterious reciprocity (John Paul II)
In forza di questa singolare intesa, Gesù può presentarsi come il rivelatore del Padre, con una conoscenza che è frutto di un'intima e misteriosa reciprocità (Giovanni Paolo II)
Yes, all the "miracles, wonders and signs" of Christ are in function of the revelation of him as Messiah, of him as the Son of God: of him who alone has the power to free man from sin and death. Of him who is truly the Savior of the world (John Paul II)
Sì, tutti i “miracoli, prodigi e segni” di Cristo sono in funzione della rivelazione di lui come Messia, di lui come Figlio di Dio: di lui che, solo, ha il potere di liberare l’uomo dal peccato e dalla morte. Di lui che veramente è il Salvatore del mondo (Giovanni Paolo II)
It is known that faith is man's response to the word of divine revelation. The miracle takes place in organic connection with this revealing word of God. It is a "sign" of his presence and of his work, a particularly intense sign (John Paul II)
È noto che la fede è una risposta dell’uomo alla parola della rivelazione divina. Il miracolo avviene in legame organico con questa parola di Dio rivelante. È un “segno” della sua presenza e del suo operare, un segno, si può dire, particolarmente intenso (Giovanni Paolo II)
That was not the only time the father ran. His joy would not be complete without the presence of his other son. He then sets out to find him and invites him to join in the festivities (cf. v. 28). But the older son appeared upset by the homecoming celebration. He found his father’s joy hard to take; he did not acknowledge the return of his brother: “that son of yours”, he calls him (v. 30). For him, his brother was still lost, because he had already lost him in his heart (Pope Francis)
Ma quello non è stato l’unico momento in cui il Padre si è messo a correre. La sua gioia sarebbe incompleta senza la presenza dell’altro figlio. Per questo esce anche incontro a lui per invitarlo a partecipare alla festa (cfr v. 28). Però, sembra proprio che al figlio maggiore non piacessero le feste di benvenuto; non riesce a sopportare la gioia del padre e non riconosce il ritorno di suo fratello: «quel tuo figlio», dice (v. 30). Per lui suo fratello continua ad essere perduto, perché lo aveva ormai perduto nel suo cuore (Papa Francesco)

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