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30th Sunday OT 2008 Traditional Orthodox Jewish people pray with small black boxes strapped to their hands and to their heads, they are called phylacteries. Contained in these boxes are the words that we’ve heard in the reading of today’s Gospel. They are taken from the book of Deuteronomy, Hear O Israel the Lord is one God, you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul. As they pray with the boxes around their head and their hands they are reminded to keep in mind and in their actions that they are to love God. At the centre of our lives we too have to learn to love God. It is the most important thing of all, the most important commandment. At the heart of this commandment is a view of what we are as human beings. We are not put on earth to make money. We are not put on earth to please ourselves. We are not on earth to squander our lives. We are put on earth as creatures of God, made in his image and the most important thing we can do is to love God with our whole heart and mind and being. One of the reasons that traditional Orthodox Jewish people pray with these boxes on their hands and on their heads is to remind them that it is so easy to forget what we should be doing. The boxes remind them not to forget to love God . During the course of any day it is so easy to forget this great commandment. Maybe for us during the course of any given day too, at breaks within it, we might remember this is the great commandment this is why we are put on earth to love God. W might not forget or be overcome It is not the only thing that is sited as the great commandment. The other is to love our neighbour. If it is easy to forget to love God, it is so easy to forget to love our neighbour. So easily the neighbour instead of becoming a friend or someone we might help becomes an enemy at the door. During the course of any day we might put that attitude in reverse and remember a different way of living, not to hate our neighbour, neglect our neighbour, argue with our neighbour – but remember that we are to love our neighbour. This reading couldn’t be more timely for most of us. It is a simple reminder of what we are supposed to be about, what drives us on: to love God and our neighbour. Prayers of the Faithful 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Priest We are reminded to love God with our whole hearts and minds. Today we pray for the renewed grace to keep the great commandment Intercessor We pray that those who lead the Church may strengthen us in our love for God. We pray to the Lord We pray that in our daily actions we may be mindful of the love of God We pray to the Lord We pray that we may not neglect the needy in our world: the stranger, the orphan, the widow, those who are hungry and homeless. We pray to the Lord We pray that we may care for the planet that God has given us and be good stewards of what we have received We pray to the Lord We pray for peace in our world – for an end to the wars and conflict that divide people into friend and foe We pray to the Lord We pray for reconciliation in family life – for a spirit of accord, forgiveness and harmony. We pray to the Lord We pray for all who have died, Norah Broadelday and John Dignall, and all whose anniversaries occur at this time We pray to the Lord Priest Grant the prayers that we make to you with trust and confidence. Top Comment on this Homily |