In the order for the baptism of infants, after the parents of the child state their desire for baptism, the minister says to the parents, “In asking for baptism for your children, you are undertaking the responsibility of raising them in the faith, so that, keeping God’s commandments, they may love the Lord and their neighbor as Christ has taught us.” In this statement, all the commandments of God are summarized in two: love of God and love of neighbor. This is the teaching of Christ, as we see in today’s Gospel.
But Christ does not teach the importance of these two commandments merely with his words. By his own life, death, and resurrection, Jesus witnesses to the fact that these two commandments to love God and love our neighbor merge into one. Everything in the life of the incarnate Son was done in the Holy Spirit out of love for the eternal Father. And through this perfect life of love, the Son redeems all humanity, making known through the Spirit the infinite depths of the Father’s love for us. The person of the Son cannot be divided; neither can the love of God be separated from the love of neighbor. Love of God does come first, it is true, but it is impossible to love God if we do not love our neighbor (cf. 1 John 4:20–21).
Today, let us reflect on how we live this dual commandment of love. By the grace of God, may we love the Lord with all our heart, and may the measure of that love be seen in the way that we love our neighbor.