The word commandment always brings the idea of obedience, discipline and a search for the right behavior. However, speaking of “commandments” Jesus refers to the beginning of life and makes an invitation to heed his advice, finding in them joy, peace and personal satisfaction. This is the law of love; not to oppress anyone, on the contrary, it generates life, understanding and happiness.
Love your neighbor as yourself; it is the commandment of Jesus. It is an invitation that challenges us to abandon our individualism to participate in the lives of others through acts of kindness, love and tenderness.
We must pay attention to the people around us, because many need our help. We need more than ever to stop being self-centered, only worrying about our stuff.
It’s time to change. It is necessary to pay more attention to the events around us, because sometimes, we are bearers of the only solution to the problems of other people. Love is not just a feeling but also action. Jesus invites us to act!
On one occasion, Jesus took a basin of water and a towel and went to wash the feet of the disciples. When Jesus began to wash and dry the feet of each of them, the disciples were amazed and Peter reacted this way: “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus was teaching his disciples on how to serve others with humility.
When we serve, we discover that our arrogance has no reason to exist and the act of service gets us closer to people who live with us. By doing this, always serving, we will be freeing ourselves of selfishness and the attitudes that separate us from the society.
Serving is one of the most beautiful ways to show that we love our neighbor, to serve our community and to get closer to the example set by Jesus.
Jesus, being a teacher and Lord, knelt as a slave before his disciples and washed their feet giving them a lesson in love and humility.
Jesus came to serve, not to be served and our Christian life must begin in the same way, serving our neighbor.
Love! Love! A word so small, so simple and yet often misunderstood and sometimes unknown, in relation to its real meaning.
To talk about love is to talk about Jesus Christ, because for Him love is much more than an abstract idea: it’s a lifestyle.
To worship God and to love our neighbor is a way to show love. And love can be demonstrated through forgiveness, understanding, justice, brotherhood and intercession.
Jesus’ teachings were made in the form of phrases, filled of love, whose contents he demonstrated with his actions. Many were touched by the love of Jesus, many! Paralytics, epileptics, blind, possessed, and none stopped from being struck by the love that came from heaven.
There is no emptiness in the human heart that cannot be filled by love. And we, creatures of God have the ability to love because He loved us first and sent his only Son to die for us. Is there a love greater than this? Would you be willing to die for your friends?
Jesus tells us to love those around us and only then we will become his disciples.
Every day we repeat our requests and prayers. And we always want God to listen to us. We repeat our request once, twice, a dozen times if necessary, because we want answers. We repeat and insist before God.
Our problems and needs are urgent, they cannot wait. However, in this process we forget a fundamental step: if we want to be heard, we also need to hear, listen to God. But what is the meaning of hearing or listening to God?
Listening to God requires effort on our part but God can hear us, if he desires. He is Sovereign! For example, we have to believe that God loves us and wants to communicate with us. A prophet in the Bible tells us that “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
To listen to God we need to consistently read, study and meditate in His living Word, the Bible. Another biblical prophet named Isaiah cited God saying: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
To listen to God we have to regularly set aside time alone with God and give him our full attention. The Apostle Matthew tells us that Jesus “went into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.” (Matthew 14:23)
To listen to God we must open our hearts to God’s pointing finger of truth over our true selves. In the Bible there is a psalm that says: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24).
Constantly God speaks through circumstances, people, and especially through His Word, the Bible. God says, for example, that our love for Him must be sincere. Listening to God is to listen carefully to others, considering that God may be using them to communicate his personal message to us. “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” (Proverbs 13:10)
Listening to God is to acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit within us and responding to his guidance for our communication with others. Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said.” (John 14:26)
He also tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. God tells us many things, but we speak so much that we cannot hear his voice. If you are not willing to listen to what God wants to say, there is no reason to expect God to hear what you want to tell him!
God speaks to us, He is not deaf or mute, he hears us and communicates with us. God shows us who he is and what he wants from us.
Today’s Reading: Genesis 4:1-17 The mother never gets tired of saying to the child: “Do not play with matches, do not cross the street alone!” And the child does not get tired of answering: “I know, I know!” However the mother replies, “I know you know, but I don’t want you to forget.”
Some warnings need to be repeated, since they are vital for our loved ones because they forget easily.
God always repeats and reminds us not to forget that we love one another. The consequences are disastrous if we forget these words. We must remember the Bible story about one son called Cain; his lack of love led him to kill his own brother, Abel. The story draws a parallel between the lack of love and murder. They look like two very different things, but in reality the consequences are the same.
Whenever we insult, criticize, offend or humiliate a person; by thought, word or deed; it’s as if we killed our neighbor. And if we continue to do so, we slowly and mercilessly destroy him.
Similarly, if we love, understand and respect our neighbor, he will improve; his joys will be multiplied; and his sorrows will be reduced or eliminated.
Today’s Reading: Exodus 20:12 Version NIV Children tend to make heavy demands on their parents. This creates exasperation and fights at home. Because of the fact that they were brought to this world without been consulted, they think they can demand all they want.
In fact, parents have a responsibility to provide child support, education and training in God’s ways and, therefore, the example of a consistent and loving life. On the other hand, God demands from children obedience and honor to their parents.
God, the Eternal Father, commands, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
Parents and children have mutual commitments of love and loyalty. In such an environment, children will obey and honor their parents and parents will provide what children need in their lives.
That atmosphere of love and mutual respect is achieved when parents and children respect God, that is, seek to follow the eternal principles based on love and loyalty.
When we love God above all things, it is possible to love one’s neighbor, and there is no better “neighbor” than our children, or our parents.
Today’s Reading: Mark 12:28-31
Tokyo city is divided into districts, each with a neighborhood association that deals with social services, street cleaning, appointment of security officers and other things.
Our world is moving very fast towards individualism. Nobody knows nobody; people do not care for each other and even the residents of an apartment building don’t talk to each other. An individual may be attacked in public and no one will help. Nobody wants to get involved.
On many occasions, we are like the priest and the Levite in the parable of Jesus, who passed by when they saw the man who was in problems. This parable teaches us to recognize our neighbors and also how we treat them. As Christians, we have to care about our neighbors and must try to understand their suffering and pain. It’s not enough to grieve at the sight of those who are dying of hunger and misery; we must reach out. It’s not enough to know the name of your neighbor.
Jesus wants his followers to develop the art of good neighborliness, and He will help us, if we do so.
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