Our Mission is to Love God and Our Neighbour

Parish News

This week Jesus gives us two commandments to live by and which sums up our entire faith “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is you must love your neighbor as yourself” (Mat 22: 34-40).

Fr. Ryan, explained that our mission statement lies in these two commandments. We are to love God with our entire being. God created us in his image and likeness so that we can have a relationship with him- an intimate and personal relationship.

He further explained that the Shema was a prayer said in the morning and evening reminding the Israelites to love God in every aspect of their being (Deut 6:4-9). The Shema is hung at the front of the door and they touch it every time they enter their homes as a reminder. Shema means “Listen” and obey.

Fr. Ryan said that when we love God we can love our neighbor (Lev 19:9-18). Every human being is unique and is made in the likeness and image of God. Thus each human person has dignity whether rich or poor; migrant or indigenous; saint or sinner; friend or foe. Every life is sacred. We are not to violate human dignity but instead become instruments of God’s love and mercy.  

  • closed eyed man holding his face using both of his hands
  • unrecognizable tourist in mask with suitcase near graffiti wall

If we are to love our neighbours, we must first love God and be steeped in His love. Pope John Paul II said that “love demands a personal commitment to the will of God” and that “hatred can only be conquered by love”. And so we have to have this time for Him and with Him, this intimate relationship so that we can pass on that love that we have experienced (St. Theresa of Lisieux).  For us to become His instrument of love, we need “to empty us of self” (Mother Theresa).

Both commandments go hand in hand. We cannot have one without the other. We cannot say we love God when we cannot love our own neighbour; and we cannot love our neighbour who is so different than us unless we love God. Mother Teresa loved the poorest of the poor because she saw Jesus in disguise in every one of them. “I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus.” -SR

“It is love alone that gives worth to all things”

St. Theresa of Avila