30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

First Reading: Exodus 22:20-26 Treat all people with generosity 

Second Reading: 1 Thes 1:5-10 The Thessalonians have become a model for others

Gospel : Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus is asked to name the greatest commandment of the Law

Reflection:

REFLECTION FOR US ALL – by Lisa-Marie Calderone-Stewart

At the same time that young people want more freedom, more rules apply. More freedom just means fewer outside rules. That’s because more freedom means more responsibility, and more responsibility means more inside rules – rules that we make for ourselves. For example, the Ten Commandments are outside rules – they tell us exactly what to do. Jesus’ two commandments of love are inside rules – they tell us to make rules for ourselves that are motivated by love. 

Actually, if we make rules for ourselves that are motivated by love, our actions will follow the Ten Commandments, even if we have never heard of the Ten Commandments.

What are some of your school rules and home rules? Are they outside rules or inside rules? If they are outside rules, summarise them with one inside rule. If any of them are inside rules, then give an outside example of how you might follow them.

Would a society work if its only laws were inside rules? Why or why not? How would that affect this country? How would it affect your state, region, town or city?

Saint Augustine is famous for saying, ‘Love, and then do what you will.’

How is this quote similar to what Jesus told the lawyer?

What does love of self look like? What does love of God look like? How are those types of love related to love of neighbour?

Do you think that when Jesus said, ‘Love your neighbor’, he meant just the people on your street, or all people – including strangers, people in faraway countries, and even people at school that you don’t get along with? How does that sit with you?