Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church
A few years back, my brother shared with me the phrase, I am third. I don’t know the specific origins of the statement; however, it does get at the heart of Jesus’ message in the gospel today. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Mt 22:37-39) God first, others second, I am third.
The entirety of our Christian faith centers on these two commandments. Jesus is very direct in that the whole law depends on them. Love God and love others--it drives our purpose. What is the desire that rests deep within the confines of our heart? We long to be loved; we long for God. God is love and we were created to love and be loved; created to participate in the life set before us and to love all others as part of this life. Jesus gives these commandments and then embodies them in the most abundant way possible; by going to the cross.
As was typical both in Jesus’ time and today, there is a tendency to get so caught up in rules and regulations that we stray away from the foundation of our faith--it is about relationship. The love of God is above all else. Loving God is abstract unless it leads us to serving others--our neighbors, parish, colleagues, friends, family, those in need. Are we good neighbors? How do we share our time, talents, and treasures with others? How are we involved in supporting the well-being of our community? Are we an active member or just a spectator of the world around us? St. Teresa of Calcutta expresses it beautifully, “We must love one another as God loves each one of us. To be able to love, we need a clean heart. Prayer is what gives us a clean heart. The fruit of prayer is a deepening of faith and the fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service, which is compassion in action.”
Today, the church also celebrates the memorial of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a brilliant doctor and father of the church who had a deep devotion to prayer and monasticism but also spent much of his life on the move--defending the faith against worldly influences and serving others. Though he came from a rich, noble family, St. Bernard continually asked the question: For what purpose am I on earth? Let us spend some time in prayer today with this question in light of the two great commandments. Love God; love neighbor; I am third.
Peace,
Brandon Meyer