Loyalty and Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invite us to examine the role of loyalty in following the Great Commandment of Love.

Loyalty and Life

The Reading from the Book of Ruth begins the story of Naomi in Moab.

* [1:1–2] Back in the time of the judges: the story looks back three generations before King David (4:17) into the time of the tribal confederation described in the Book of Judges. David’s Moabite connections are implied in 1 Sm 22:3–4. Bethlehem of Judah: Bethlehem, a town in which part of the Judean clan-division called Ephrathah lived; cf. 1 Chr 2:50–51; 4:4; Mi 5:1. Jos 19:15 mentions a different Bethlehem in the north. The plateau of Moab: on the east side of the Jordan valley rift, where the hills facing west get more rain, and where agricultural conditions differ from those in Judah. Ephrathites: a reminder of David’s origins; cf. Mi 5:1.

* [1:5] Boys: the way the storyteller chooses certain words as guides is shown here; “boy” will not appear again until 4:16.

* [1:6] Had seen to his people’s needs: lit., “had visited his people.

* [1:16–17] Ruth’s adherence to her mother-in-law in 1:14 is now expressed in a profound oath of loyalty, culminating in a formulary found frequently in Samuel and Kings; cf. especially 1 Sm 20:13. Even death: burial in Naomi’s family tomb means that not even death will separate them. (Ruth, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 146 proclaims there is no other source of strength except the merciful God..

* [Psalm 146] A hymn of someone who has learned there is no other source of strength except the merciful God. Only God, not mortal human beings (Ps 146:3–4), can help vulnerable and oppressed people (Ps 146:5–9). The first of the five hymns that conclude the Psalter. (Psalms, PSALM 146 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus identifies The Greatest Commandment.

* [22:34–40] The Marcan parallel (Mk 12:28–34) is an exchange between Jesus and a scribe who is impressed by the way in which Jesus has conducted himself in the previous controversy (Mk 12:28), who compliments him for the answer he gives him (Mk 12:32), and who is said by Jesus to be “not far from the kingdom of God” (Mk 12:34). Matthew has sharpened that scene. The questioner, as the representative of other Pharisees, tests Jesus by his question (Mt 22:34–35), and both his reaction to Jesus’ reply and Jesus’ commendation of him are lacking.

* [22:35] [A scholar of the law]: meaning “scribe.” Although this reading is supported by the vast majority of textual witnesses, it is the only time that the Greek word so translated occurs in Matthew. It is relatively frequent in Luke, and there is reason to think that it may have been added here by a copyist since it occurs in the Lucan parallel (Lk 10:25–28). Tested: see note on Mt 19:3.

* [22:36] For the devout Jew all the commandments were to be kept with equal care, but there is evidence of preoccupation in Jewish sources with the question put to Jesus.

* [22:37–38] Cf. Dt 6:5. Matthew omits the first part of Mark’s fuller quotation (Mk 12:29; Dt 6:4–5), probably because he considered its monotheistic emphasis needless for his church. The love of God must engage the total person (heart, soul, mind).

* [22:39] Jesus goes beyond the extent of the question put to him and joins to the greatest and the first commandment a second, that of love of neighbor, Lv 19:18; see note on Mt 19:18–19. This combination of the two commandments may already have been made in Judaism.

* [22:40] The double commandment is the source from which the whole law and the prophets are derived. (Matthew, CHAPTER 22 | USCCB, n.d.)

Carol Zuegner comments that it is so simple. Love your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. But we never make it simple. We want control. We want exceptions.

There aren’t exceptions. If we are to find God in all things, we have to reach inside of ourselves and be that better person we can be all the time. Not just when it’s convenient or easy or makes me feel good or lets other people see what a good person I am. Does this mean I will never be impatient or short with someone? Probably not. Does this commandment mean that I should think every day about ways that I can love my God with all my heart and all my soul and all my mind by living out that second rule. No exceptions. No whining. No it’s-not-my-turn thoughts. 

My prayer is to let me be aware of these moments every day where I love my neighbor, where I can send ripples of love and care out into the world. No exceptions. (Zuegner, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Loving God with heart, mind, and soul,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Worthy is he, confirmed in all his gifts, who exults in the wisdom of God, having a heart full of the love of God, and a soul completely enlightened by the lamp of knowledge and a mind filled with the word of God. It follows then that all such gifts truly come from God. He would understand that all the law and the prophets are in some way a part of the wisdom and knowledge of God. He would understand that all the law and the prophets depend upon and adhere to the principle of the love of the Lord God and of neighbor and that the perfection of piety consists in love." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22 comments that we have all been in situations when we’ve had to choose a path that is compassionate and yet costly.

It can be hard to see situations like these as invitations from the Lord. But sometimes that’s exactly what they are. They give us the chance to imitate Jesus’ love and loyalty. They help us say no to selfishness. And they offer opportunities for healing and reconciliation. In many cases, they open the door for God to work wonders in our hearts.

So don’t reject these invitations out of hand. You never know how saying yes might change your history!

“Lord, give me the strength and wisdom to choose the path of costly compassion when it arises before me.” (Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today. The reading from Ruth is the story of a Moabite, a people hated by the Israelites, named Ruth, who shows great loyalty to Naomi. She becomes known as a virtuous ancestor of David. Jesus recites the Commandment of love of God and neighbour. Friar Jude notes that this involves intelligence, persecution, and possessions in loving God, a vertical dimension, and love of our neighbour as the horizontal dimension.

Cynthia Bourgeault explains how understanding the ancient meaning of the word passion can help us gain emotional equilibrium. The passions are really stuck emotions, revolving around themselves to generate drama. She cites a great teaching from the 4th-century spiritual teacher, Evagrius, the first real spiritual psychologist of the Christian West.

Once it becomes a passion and it’s stuck to your story, it can do nothing else but churn up more emotion, which then goes down into your physical body and steals your energy of being. Evagrius’ advice is that you have to learn to nip the thought in the bud before it becomes a passion. It’s a kind of wonderful combination of what we might call witnessing presence or practice, developing the capacity to see, combined with kenosis, the willingness to let go of the satisfaction you get from your drama. That is what clears the radar screen.   

The core practice for cleansing and restoring the heart to its organ of spiritual seeing, becomes supremely, in Christianity, the path of kenosis, of letting go. The seeing will come, but the real heart of working with emotion is the willingness to let go, to sacrifice your personal drama, letting go at that level, so that you can begin to see with a pure heart.  (Bourgeault, n.d.)  

We are assisted by the Spirit to open our practice of the Great Commandment of Love to include all people.

References

Bourgeault, C. (n.d.). Purifying the Heart. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/purifying-the-heart/ 

Matthew, CHAPTER 22 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/22?34 

Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/?utm_content=buffer5c902&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer 

Psalms, PSALM 146 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/146?5 

Ruth, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ruth/1?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). What Is the Greatest Rule of Life? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug22 

Zuegner, C. (2025, August 22). Daily Reflection August 22, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-22-2025 

Shame and Judgement

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to act to bring mercy and compassion to the actions in our society that inflict suffering on people judged as undesirable in our plans for self aggrandizement.  

Help without Judgement

The reading from the Book of Daniel recalls the suffering of the Babylonian exile to a later persecution.

* [9:2] Seventy years: Jeremiah was understood to prophesy a Babylonian captivity of seventy years, a round number signifying the complete passing away of the existing generation (Jer 25:11; 29:10). On this view Jeremiah’s prophecy was seen to be fulfilled in the capture of Babylon by Cyrus and the subsequent return of the Jews to Palestine. However, the author of Daniel, living during the persecution of Antiochus, extends Jeremiah’s number to seventy weeks of years (Dn 9:24), i.e., seven times seventy years, to encompass the period of Seleucid persecution. (Daniel, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 79 is a Plea for Mercy for Jerusalem.

* [Psalm 79] A communal lament complaining that the nations have defiled the Temple and murdered the holy people, leaving their corpses unburied (Ps 79:1–4). The occasion is probably the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in 587 B.C. The people ask how long the withdrawal of divine favor will last (Ps 79:5), pray for action now (Ps 79:6–7), and admit that their own sins have brought about the catastrophe (Ps 79:8–9). They seek to persuade God to act for reasons of honor: the nations who do not call upon the Name are running amok (Ps 79:6); the divine honor is compromised (Ps 79:1, 10, 12); God’s own servants suffer (Ps 79:2–4, 11). (Psalms, PSALM 79 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke teaches about Judging Others.

* [6:27–36] See notes on Mt 5:43–48 and Mt 5:48.

* [6:37–42] See notes on Mt 7:1–12; 7:1; 7:5. (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Cindy Murphy McMahon comments that the more we intend to stop judging and condemning, and to forgive and give without expecting any return, and then try, and then do it again, we will succeed more and more because that is God's will for us and God will help us.

While it may seem like a burden to not judge, condemn, and hold grudges, Jesus’ directive to us is actually freeing. It frees us from those inclinations that hold us back and hold us down, that keep us from fully experiencing God's love and God's kingdom. By learning to refuse to give in to our gut reactions, we will become truly merciful and ever closer to God, just as the saints did, and do. And, we must not forget, as Jesus promises, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." (Murphy McMahon, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Practice of Mercy,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The practice of mercy is twofold: when vengeance is sacrificed and when compassion is shown. The Lord included both of these in his brief sentence: 'Forgive, and you shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given to you.' This work has the effect of purifying the heart, so that, even under the limitations of this life, we are enabled with pure mind to see the immutable reality of God. There is something holding us back, which has to be loosed so that our sight may break through to the light. In connection with this the Lord said, 'Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you.' Therefore the next and sixth step is that cleansing of the heart." (excerpt from Letter 171A.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:36-38 comments that obedient to Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel, Patrick forgave the people—and he knew the joy of the Lord’s forgiveness. He gave his life to the Lord and gave himself to the Irish—and the Lord gave him the gifts of joy, courage, faith, and perseverance. And he gave him the greatest gift of all: a deep, abiding relationship with Christ.

Let’s follow Patrick’s example. Let’s give the gifts of our love, our forgiveness, and our presence to the people God puts in our lives. Not because we want more of his gifts, but because we are so grateful for all the gifts we have received already!

“Jesus, teach me how to give to others as you have given to me—and as St. Patrick gave to the people of Ireland!” (Meditation on Luke 6:36-38, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in the penitential prayer in Daniel the guilt of the people is recognized as the prophet calls for the mercy of God. Our mission is to heal the brokenness of our brothers and sisters without condemnation with a view to bringing them to a better life. Friar Jude reminds us that the more we show love and are accepting of others, the more we become conduits of God’s love.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Theologian Julia Lambert Fogg who presents a biblical story of intergenerational immigration. Through her love for Naomi, Ruth becomes a revered part of Jesus’ lineage.

Do not press me to leave you 

or to turn back from following you! 

Where you go, I will go; 

where you lodge, I will lodge; 

your people shall be my people, 

and your God my God.  

Where you die, I will die— 

there will I be buried.

(Ruth 1:16–17) (Rohr, n.d.)

We encounter obstacles to our mission of mercy and care for the groups oppressed, often by our elected officials, and we implore the Spirit in our struggle to rectify this shameful action and cease immoral judgement of others.

References

Daniel, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/daniel/9?4 

Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?36 

Meditation on Luke 6:36-38. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/03/17/1228240/ 

Murphy McMahon, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/031725.html 

Psalms, PSALM 79 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/79?8 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Choosing to Remain Together. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/choosing-to-remain-together/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Be Merciful as Your Father Is Merciful. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=mar17