THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

Friday Week 20 in Ordinary Time : Saint Pius X, Pope

‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ 

First Reading Ezekiel 37:1-14 A vision of Israel's death and resurrection

The hand of the Lord was laid on me, and he carried me away by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley, a valley full of bones. He made me walk up and down among them. There were vast quantities of these bones on the ground the whole length of the valley; and they were quite dried up. He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ I said, ‘You know, Lord.’ He said, ‘Prophesy over these bones. Say, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. The Lord says this to these bones: I am now going to make the breath enter you, and you will live. I shall put sinews on you, I shall make flesh grow on you, I shall cover you with skin and give you breath, and you will live; and you will learn that I am the Lord.”’ I prophesied as I had been ordered. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a sound of clattering; and the bones joined together. I looked, and saw that they were covered with sinews; flesh was growing on them and skin was covering them, but there was no breath in them. He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man. Say to the breath, “The Lord says this: Come from the four winds, breath; breathe on these dead; let them live!”’ I prophesied as he had ordered me, and the breath entered them; they came to life again and stood up on their feet, a great, an immense army.

Then he said, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole House of Israel. They keep saying, “Our bones are dried up, our hope has gone; we are as good as dead.” So prophesy. Say to them, “The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.”’

Responsorial Psalm: O give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

Gospel Matthew 22:34-40 The commandments of love

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’

My Father, faithful God your word is eternal. Father the greatest commandment is to love you, and love my neighbour. Help me Father to keep your law. Jesus, I trust in you. Virgin Mary, pray for me. Saint Joseph, pray for me. Saint Pius X, Pope, pray for me. My Angel Guardian, pray for me.

Let us pray the Holy Rosary: Hail Mary full of grace.

AELF: vendredi, 20ème Semaine du Temps Ordinaire - S. Pie X, pape

LE GRAND COMMANDEMENT

«Maître, dans la Loi, quel est le grand commandement?»

Évangile Matthieu 22,34-40 Le commandement d’amour

Les pharisiens, apprenant qu'il avait fermé la bouche aux sadducéens, se réunirent, et l'un d'entre eux, un docteur de la Loi, posa une question à Jésus pour le mettre à l'épreuve: «Maître, dans la Loi, quel est le grand commandement?». Jésus lui répondit: «Tu aimeras le Seigneur ton Dieu de tout ton coeur, de toute ton âme et de tout ton esprit. Voilà le grand, le premier commandement. Et voici le second, qui lui est semblable: Tu aimeras ton prochain comme toi-même. Tout ce qu'il y a dans l'Écriture -dans la Loi et les Prophètes- dépend de ces deux commandements».

Mon Père, Dieu fidèle, ta parole est éternelle. Père, le plus grand commandement est de t’ aimer et l’amour de mon prochain. Aidez-moi, Père, à observer ta loi. Jésus, j'ai confiance en vous. Vierge Marie, priez pour moi. Saint Joseph, priez pour moi. Saint Pie X, pape, priez pour moi. Mon Ange gardien, priez pour moi. 

Prions le saint rosaire : Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâce.