Faith Daily | 19 August 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p570

Almighty God,

you have given your only son

to be for us both a sacrifice for sin

and also an example of godly life:

give us grace that we may always thankfully receive

the benefits of his sacrifice,

and also daily endeavour

to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life;

through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: Matthew 22: 34-40

34When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Allan Bell

With so many Jewish Laws/Commandments discussion of which one takes precedence would not be unusual. It seems that it was a hot topic of debate between Jews in the time of Jesus.

Jesus responds to the lawyer’s question with not one but two commandments making it clear that his priority is love.

We are to love God totally, and to love our neighbours as ourselves. You will recall that in the Good Sarmatian story we learnt that everyone is our neighbour. So we are to love God and all humanity including ourselves.

The other commandments are dependent on these two because if we obey these we will act in a way that fulfills all the commandments.

The love that is required of us is not a passive sentimental or emotional feeling but rather the active response of a faithful person reflecting God’s love for us.

In Luke’s version of this passage (Luke 10:25-28) there is additional encouragement for us as Jesus asserts “do this and you will live.”

FINAL PRAYER A Prayer of Love from 1 Corinthians 13:8 “Love never fails…” By Debbie McDaniel

Dear God,

Thank you that you are a loving, gracious God. Thank you that you’ve offered us forgiveness and the gift of new life in you. Thank you that your love is perfect, it never fails, and that nothing can separate us from your love.

We pray that our lives would be filled and overflowing with the power of your love so we can make a difference in this world and bring honour to you.

Amen.