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Aug. 21, 2026
Gospel Reflection: The One Law of Charity
Friday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Matthew 22:34–36
Today’s Gospel takes place during the final week of Jesus’ public ministry, shortly after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when the crowds acclaimed Him as the Messiah, the Son of David. As the week progressed, Jesus faced an onslaught of confrontations from various religious authorities: the chief priests and elders, the Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees, and, in today’s passage, a scholar of the law. Notably, these groups were often at odds with one another and were deeply divided over Scripture and doctrine, especially the Pharisees and Sadducees. Yet, despite their theological disputes, they found common ground in opposing Jesus, uniting in their efforts to discredit Him and undermine His authority.
The scholar of the law who posed the question to Jesus in today’s Gospel was likely a scribe—an expert in the Mosaic Law and its interpretation within the Jewish tradition. Scribes were regarded as authoritative teachers and interpreters of the Law and were frequently consulted on religious and legal matters. Though their role included drawing up legal documents, their primary religious function was to study, teach, and apply the Law of Moses. This particular scribe approached Jesus not to learn, but to test Him—to expose Him as lacking theological credibility.
Perhaps he was driven by his pride, seeing himself as far more learned in the Law than Jesus. However, as with the other attempts to trap Him during this final week, Jesus responds not only with divine wisdom but with a clarity and authority that silences His challengers and reveals the heart of the Law.
Jesus meets the question—“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”—with a twofold answer: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart…” and “The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Though Jesus was only asked which commandment was the greatest, it appears that He revealed two commandments rather than one. But did He?
Theologically speaking, Jesus not only answered the question thoroughly, He showed that love of God, love of self, and love of neighbor are so interconnected that they cannot be separated into greater or lesser categories. If you love God, this is also an act of rightly ordered self-love, which naturally leads to love of others. Hence, this apparent twofold answer presents the unity of charity, upon which “the whole law and the prophets depend.”
Today we use the word love in many and varied ways. Some forms of love are rooted in emotion or passion; others arise from natural bonds of friendship or family, shaped by duty and affection. But the love to which Jesus refers transcends human categories. It is a divine love—agape, or charity—that not only surpasses natural forms of love but also elevates and transforms them. When human love is united with divine charity, it is purified, deepened, and rightly ordered toward God. From there, it flows back to us and through us to others. In this way, our love for friends, family, and even enemies becomes a participation in God’s perfect and self-giving love. Thus, loving God with charity gives rise to charity in every relationship, drawing those relationships into the life of grace. This entire united act of charitable living—God as the origin and source, and others as the necessary outflow of that divine charity—perfectly fulfills the Law and reveals the holiness to which we are called.
Reflect today on the quality and source of your love. Is your love for others rooted in your love of God? Does your love flow from time spent in prayer, from a heart purified by grace, and from a desire to glorify God above all? Seek to love not merely with emotion or obligation, but with divine charity. When you do, your relationships will not only be transformed, they will become instruments through which God touches the world.
My Lord and Source of all charity, draw me into a deep and purifying love for You—a charity that encompasses my whole heart, soul, and mind. From that divine love, pour forth Your charity on others through me, so that all that I am and everything I do may be a fulfillment of the one glorious commandment to which I am called. Jesus, I trust in You!
Audio recording: https://youtu.be/A-cL8Vrav-E?si=3jVhfCA67X9tuE9B
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Our Activities:
National Shrine of Saint Jude: Legion of Mary Praesidium
MARIA SPES SINENSIUM Members :
- President: Caroline Gozun
SCOPE OF WORK:
Home to home visitation; taking and updating of the parish census; recruitment and follow up of active and auxiliary members; follow up on marriage validation, baptismal, Holy Communion and confirmation cases; hospital visitation; block rosary; participation in various parish and curia activities.
ABOUT:
The Legion of Mary
The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active co-operation in Mary’s and the Church’s work. The unit of the Legion of Mary is called a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting, where prayer is intermingled with reports and discussion. Persons who wish to join the Legion must apply for membership in a Praesidium. The Legion sees as its priority the spiritual and social welfare of each individual. The members participate in the life of the parish through visitation of families, the sick, both in their homes and in hospitals and through collaboration in every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by the parish. Every legionary is required to carry out a weekly apostolic work in the spirit of faith and in union with Mary.
The Legion of Mary is a lay apostolic association of Catholics who, with the sanction of the Church and under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate, Mediatrix of All Graces, serve the Church and their neighbour on a voluntary basis in about 170 countries. The first meeting of the Legion of Mary took place in Myra House, Francis Street, Dublin, Ireland, on 7 September, 1921. This meeting was to have very beneficial consequences for the mission of the Catholic Church and, in a special way, for millions of members of Christ’s lay faithful who would serve in the Legion and for those who would be served by the legionary apostolate. Many persons outside the Catholic Church would also benefit from that apostolate. With the approval and support of the Popes and a great many Bishops, Priests and Religious, as well as the prayers and efforts of legionaries, the Legion, by the grace of God, has grown into a worldwide organisation with several million members.
Drawing its inspiration from the True Devotion to Mary, as taught by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, and which had a profound influence on the Founder of the Legion, the Servant of God, Frank Duff, the Legion is at the disposal of the Bishops and Priests for use in the mission of the Church. While essentially a lay association, legionaries look for spiritual and apostolic formation to priests and religious, who, as Legion Spiritual Directors, hold an honoured place in the Legion system. The Legion requires ecclesiastical approval to work in a diocese or parish. Loyalty to the Magisterium and to Ecclesiastical Authority is a basic legionary principle. The Legion aims to bring Mary to the world as the infallible means of winning the world to Jesus and legionary service is based on the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ so that in their fellow members and in those they serve, legionaries seek to have the Person of our Lord once again seen and served by Mary, his Mother.
The general and essential means by which the Legion of Mary is to effect its object is personal service acting under the influence of the Holy Spirit, having Divine Grace as its moving principle and support, and the glory of God and the salvation of souls as its final end and purpose. Evangelisation, especially the seeking of conversions to the Church, should be a priority for the Legion. Through the visitation of homes and by other means, the Legion must, as a first principle, set out to establish a contact of some sort with every soul everywhere. Seeing and serving Christ in the sick and marginalised is another vital part of the legionary apostolate. While not engaging in the giving of material relief, legionaries will often find opportunities to do works of service for the needy.
The basic unit of the Legion is called a praesidium, which is normally based in a parish. A parish may have more than one praesidium. To be an active legionary it is necessary to apply for membership in a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting and allocates a weekly apostolic task to the members, who generally work in pairs. After a successful period of probation, members are called to make the Legionary Promise (this is only applicable for members over 18 years) which is directed to the Holy Spirit. Realising the necessity for a strong support of prayer, the Legion has Auxiliary members, who associate themselves with the Legion by undertaking a service of prayer in its name. The administration of the Legion is carried out through its various councils at local, regional and national level. The central council, the Concilium Legionis Mariae, meets monthly in Dublin.
The Cause for Beatification has been introduced for three legionaries: The Servant of God, Frank Duff (1889-1980), Founder of the Legion, who attended the Second Vatican Council as a Lay Observer; Venerable Edel Quinn (1907-1944), Legion Envoy to East Africa; and the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe (1932-1959), Legion Envoy to South America.