Daily Gospel Reflection for August 21, 2020

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Laurann Donahue

Today's Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40 - Memorial of St. Pius X

The Greatest Commandment is one of my favorite passages. From teaching First Communion class for years, I’ve become very familiar with this passage. Just reading it gives me fond memories of children’s lovely faces and happy chatter in class. ”You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” We teach the children the Ten Commandments and then how Jesus ties them all together in the “Great Commandment.” This leads up to teaching them about the all-important Sacrament of the Eucharist. We teach them what the Mass is and what it is about. We teach them what to do in Mass. We teach them how to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

But the one thing we cannot teach them is loving God with all their heart. The joy they will feel when they truly understand the love of God and loving God with all their heart does come. I have seen that joy written on the faces of children over and over again. You cannot feel more love or joy in the Lord than when you see that love through the eyes of the children in church, especially when they receive Jesus Christ in the Eucharist for the first time. This passage will always give me that joy.

Nothing matches the joy of loving God with all your heart. #dailygospel

Ponder:

Do I strive to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind every day?

Pray:

Lord, help me love You with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my mind. I want to feel the joy of Your love all my life.

Copyright 2020 Laurann Donahue