THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
GOSPEL: St Matthew 22:34-40 THE COMMANDMENT OF LOVE

Most of us will have learned the Ten Commandments by role as children in primary school. In our adult faith, it is important for us to understand that, in giving us the Ten Commandments, God did not provide us with a set of rules or laws to restrict us; rather, He provided us with the fundamental principles to guide us in living lives that bring us closer to Him.
The first three Commandments are about establishing the right relationship with God; the remaining seven, which establish boundaries defining the right relationship with others, grow out of the first Com-mandment. So, ‘keeping the Commandments’ is not about being seen by others to obey the law and abide by rules, or about outward appearances of piety: it is about a desire of heart and willingness to love and serve God and neighbour in a way that reflects the teachings and example of Jesus. Learning and knowing the Commandments off by heart is one thing but understanding them as a Gift of Love from God is key to living their values. Love of God and love of neighbour can, indeed, be described as a summary of the Ten Commandments.