Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Matthew 22:34-40
Love Without Dividing Lines

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is confronted with a question that was intended to trap Him: “Which is the greatest commandment?” His answer is disarmingly simple and deeply profound: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… and your neighbour as yourself.” With this, Jesus unites two ancient commandments into one inseparable reality.

Love of God and love of neighbour cannot be divided. One flows into the other. Jesus shows us that true religion is not a checklist of obligations but a relationship of love—with God first, and from that love, a life poured out for others. Without love, religious practice becomes anxious, forced, or self-serving. And without a living relationship with God, love of neighbour becomes empty activism.

St. John puts it bluntly: “He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 Jn 4:20). If our faith does not move us to compassion, if it does not open our hearts to the poor, the lonely, or the hurting, we are missing the heart of the Gospel.

And yet, how often do we excuse ourselves from real love while making time for gossip, judgment, or indifference? We are quick to speak about others but slow to listen to them. Real love—what Jesus commands—is patient, present, and sacrificial.

The key to living this “great commandment” is worship. When we adore God, we are centred in love. From that place, we learn to grow in love God and his people.

Today, let us ask ourselves: Does my love for God lead me to love others more generously? Is there anyone I need to forgive, reach out to, or simply listen to? May Mary Most Holy, who loved both God and neighbour with all her being, teach us how to love without dividing lines.

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Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025