Mark 12: 28-34

In Management, we are always told to know the priorities. Several things come up in a day, we ask ourselves, which is the one I will have to do first?

One tool is to draw a box and divide into four areas; Box one is Urgent (Kaialangan na kailangan) and Priority (Mahalaga); box two is Urgent (Kailagan na kailangan) but not a priority ( Hindi Mahalaga); box three is not urgent ( Hindi Mahalaga) and but a priority (Kailangan na kailangan) and box four is not urgent (Hindi Kailangan) and not a priority (Hindi Mahalaga).

There are so many commandments in the Jewish tradition. It is only but natural to find out which is the most important. Hence the answer of Christ:

Love of God and Love of Neighbor.

Three reflections:

1. It always takes two: When one loves God, it should follow that he or she loves his neighbor. It cannot be one or the other. This reminds us that God loves each and every one of us – “If you love me, you should love my son or daughter.”
2. Love is not an emotion. It is a decision. Why? When we love our neighbor, it is easy to love the lovable. Yet, it is most difficult to love the “hard to love.” How do you love the one who gossips against you? Hence you tell yourself, even if this person gossip about me, I will do the most Christian thing and not gossip against this person. That is already love!
3. All our lives are intertwined. When we love our neighbor, we love ourselves. Why? You cannot give what you don’t have. Hence when you give, it all comes back to the giver.

Mother Teresa once said, “If we judge people, we have no time to love them.” Hence, the challenge to love them. In that case, there will be no more room to judge.