St. Barbara “Love God with all your mind, heart, and soul; and love your neighbor as yourself.” We hear a version of that throughout the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, and we say, “Sure, that’s part of the Christian faith.” And then w are apt to move on, paying little attention to what that means, or, to be more specific, not living our lives loving God.
I’m good a compartmentalizing, addressing each aspect of my life differently. I can be compassionate toward someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer, and loving toward a neighbor who is facing a difficult decision. But then, I can be judgmental toward the politicians I don’t agree with; I can even wish evil upon them, forgetting they they too are my neighbor.
How can we become totally absorbed in loving God with all our mind, heart, and soul? By loving ourselves, because when we love ourselves, we can love our neighbors, each one of them. It’s not sequential, but if loving God is a good place to start.
I’m good a compartmentalizing, addressing each aspect of my life differently. I can be compassionate toward someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer, and loving toward a neighbor who is facing a difficult decision. But then, I can be judgmental toward the politicians I don’t agree with; I can even wish evil upon them, forgetting they they too are my neighbor.
How can we become totally absorbed in loving God with all our mind, heart, and soul? By loving ourselves, because when we love ourselves, we can love our neighbors, each one of them. It’s not sequential, but if loving God is a good place to start.
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