The Two Great Commandments "Love thy God with all your heart, mind…" and secondly, "Love thy neighbor…"

The Two Great Commandments
"Love thy God with all your heart, mind…" and secondly, "Love thy neighbor…"

We live in a world bombarded with thousands of messages, some subtle and some not-so-subtle, of merchandising that impact the way we interact with others, and the way we relate to God. Much of what we glean from these messages is narcissistic in nature, estranging us from one another. We become so self absorbed that we fail to live authentically as Christians, being peace-makers, working towards justice, failing to forgive those who've wronged us, and not being compassionate towards those in need of mercy and charity. "Those who hear the word ought to give proof of the work of the word in their own souls" (St. Macarius the Great).

If we wear a cross around our neck, make the sign of the cross in perfect order, keep the fast periods, but have not the love of the poor we have gained nothing. Christ Himself told us that we can not love God Whom we've not seen, if we do not love our neighbor. If we do not give alms to the poor and speak out for human justice, we will have gained nothing. If we do not treat everyone with respect and love, and show mercy to all, we have not Christ in us.

We must put on Christ with the rising of the sun, and with it's going down. Christ must be in every word we speak and in every action of our heart. He must reign supreme in our lives, that all see Christ in us, just as we must see Christ in every person with whom we come in contact. "I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20).

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon