Daily Gospel Reflection for October 31, 2021 - 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Today's Gospel: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 12:28b-34

On this date seven years ago, my husband and I received the most devastating news we ever had. Our first child had died in my womb. If ever we had known love, it was our love for our son. If ever we had known doubt, it was also at this moment. Loving God can be a struggle, particularly in the hardest of times.

Today's Gospel explains we must love Him always, just as He commands. We must love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, with all our strength. With this, we can survive any turmoil, but we must first believe in Him above all circumstances.

From this belief, we can then apply God's love to all others. This is a love important particularly for those who are the most in need. Our neighbors suffering in silence are an important example. Often, one does not recognize the pain another is coping with. It is easy to dismiss or be ignorant of the world around us. But our responsibility as Catholics is ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ For many, the love of a child is like that of no other, to the degree that I would have easily laid down my life for my child so that he could live. My goal then should be to feel the same way for that of a stranger, for we are all God's children.

Nothing else surpasses following these two commandments. In a world where self-reliance and love of self is often encouraged, it can be challenging. Incorporating the time for our faith, however, we can give back to God through cultivating self-humility through prayer and caring for one another. Imagine the peace that will come finding the Kingdom of God in embracing these two commandments.

Ponder:

How can I do better at always placing God first in my life? How can I do better to serve my neighbor rather than myself?

Pray:

Lord, help me to always put You first in my Life. Strengthen my relationship with You and remind me that You live in each and every one of my neighbors here on earth, so that I can love each of them just as I am to love You.