The Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:36-40

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”


1 John 3:18
¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Hebrews 13:16
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

To love God, our neighbor, ourselves, we must keep the commandments of God and of the Church and perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Works of mercy are important because they connect the love of neighbor with the love of God. We cannot separate the love of God from the love of our neighbor, as it was taught us by Jesus . One without the other is incomplete. The Holy Eucharist we receive in which receive the love for Christ that we must extended now to our spiritual brothers and sisters. Therefore, by receiving the Holy Eucharist, it  compels us to love and serve one another as Christ taught us. Eucharistic celebration is of two part, first we receive the love during holy communion (last supper) and the second is when we go out after the celebration to love and sacrifice ourselves in service to the needy (journey to Calvary). Works of mercy is the fruit of our Eucharistic love with Christ.
We can take our Blessed Mother  Teresa of Calcutta as an example to the above. Blessed Mother Teresa was once ask,  "From where do you find the strength to take care of all the difficult cases that you encounter each day?" and she replied "I begin each day by going to Mass and receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, hidden under the simple form of bread. Then I go out into the streets and find the same Jesus hidden in the dying destitute people."
As said by St. Francis,  "Everything God gave us before the Fall, he gave us out of love; everything God gives us after the Fall, he gives us out of his mercy!". Therefore, we need to practice the works of mercy toward our needy brothers and sisters in Christ is because God himself deals mercifully with us. Mercy adds two qualities to love, which is forgiveness and compassion. Forgiveness mean we must to do works of mercy for someone who may have offended us. Compassion means we must be able "to suffer with" or "to feel the pain or deprivation that our neighbor feels". Jesus is still in need in the neediest of his brothers and sisters and tells us that he is still hungry, thirsty, naked, homeless, sick, and in prison in his disciples. "I was hungry and you fed me! I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink! I was naked and you clothed me!" Jesus Christ is 100% God (proven by his miracles) and 100% man (as he also need to drink, eat, cry and feel pain during his agony and passion).

Corporal works of mercy
The word “corporal” means “of or belonging to the body,” and so the corporal works of mercy refer to acts of mercy that relate to the physical, to bodily needs.

Matthew 25:35-36
³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
 

7 Corporal works of mercy:

1. To feed the hungry.
2. To give drink to the thirsty.
3. To clothe the naked.
4. To visit the imprisoned.
5. To shelter the homeless.
6. To visit the sick.
7. To bury the dead.


Spiritual works of Mercy
Spiritual works of mercy, naturally, provide for the needs of the spirit. 

 

7 Spiritual works of Mercy:

1. To admonish the sinner. (correct those who need correction)
2. To instruct the ignorant.  (teach the ignorant)
3. To counsel the doubtful.  (give advice to those who need it)
4. To comfort the sorrowful. (give comfort to those who suffer)
5. To bear wrongs patiently.  (be patient with others)
6. To forgive all injuries.  (to forgive others who hurt you.)
7. To pray for the living and the dead.  (to pray for everyone who needs our prayers)

 

Galatians 6:1

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

 

Colossians 3:16

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

 

Jude 1:23

save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

 

Isaiah 66:13

As a mother comforts her child,  so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.

 

Galatians 6:2

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

 

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

 

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.